New Delhi, January 15, 2026 (Agencies) — India is considering the creation of a dedicated rocket-missile force to enhance its combat effectiveness, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi announced at a media briefing ahead of the country’s 78th Army Day.
“It is the need of the hour that we raise such a force,” Dwivedi said. “Today, rockets and missiles complement each other… We are looking at a rocket-missile force as China and Pakistan have already raised their own rocket forces.” He emphasized that the faster India organizes such a force, the stronger its combat capabilities will be.
The announcement comes amid reports of drone intrusions in India’s border states. A suspected Pakistani drone was spotted in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, on Monday night, while drones were also detected in Jammu, prompting army fire, according to the Hindustan Times. Dwivedi noted that India’s director-general of military operations has conveyed to his Pakistani counterpart that these drone activities are unacceptable.
According to the army chief, the proposed rocket-missile force could be built around long-range Pinaka rockets, Pralay missiles, and BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.
- The Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket, successfully flight-tested in December, has a maximum strike range of 120 km.
- The Pralay missile is indigenously developed and capable of carrying multiple types of warheads for diverse targets.
- The BrahMos, jointly developed by India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, is a ramjet-powered supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, and mobile launchers.
India’s move comes in direct response to Pakistan’s establishment of its Rocket Force Command in 2025, which is built around precision-guided systems such as the Fatah-II,III and IV rockets with a mixed ranges. While Pakistan’s force is already operational and focused on conventional precision strikes, India’s planned rocket-missile force would combine short, medium, and long-range systems, offering greater versatility and technological diversity.
India has also been accelerating efforts to develop advanced bunker-buster capabilities, as neighboring Pakistan and China maintain fortified command centers.