India Enhances Maritime Defence With Expanded Missile Test Zone Off Coast
Defence expands sea zone, raises missile test stakes significantly.
The Government of India has significantly expanded the designated missile test zone off the coast of Visakhapatnam, marking a major step in strengthening the country’s defence testing and evaluation capabilities. The enlarged maritime area is intended to accommodate more complex and longer-range missile trials, reinforcing India’s preparedness in a rapidly evolving regional security environment. Officials view this move as a strategic upgrade of critical defence infrastructure along the eastern seaboard.
With the expansion of the test zone, naval and defence authorities will now have greater operational flexibility to conduct trials over extended sea corridors. This will allow long-range missile launches and advanced weapons testing to take place far from civilian shipping lanes and populated coastal areas, thereby significantly reducing risks to maritime traffic and coastal communities. The move is also expected to streamline scheduling and execution of multiple defence tests.
Defence officials indicated that the expanded zone will support a wide spectrum of weapons systems, including surface-to-surface missiles, anti-ship missiles, and next-generation strike platforms. The larger test area will enable engineers and military planners to recreate more realistic operational scenarios, assess precision and reliability under varying conditions, and certify weapon systems for active deployment with greater confidence.
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The expansion is widely seen as part of India’s broader maritime security and power projection strategy in the Indian Ocean region. As geopolitical competition intensifies across strategic sea lanes, India is placing renewed emphasis on naval strength and indigenous weapons development. Strengthening sea-based testing infrastructure is considered central to ensuring that the Navy remains technologically advanced and combat-ready.
Authorities have assured that extensive safety protocols will govern all tests conducted within the expanded zone. Notices will be issued well in advance to shipping operators, fishing communities, and coastal authorities to prevent accidental entry into restricted areas. With the enlarged missile test zone expected to become fully operational shortly, India is set to enhance the pace and scale of its maritime defence trials in the coming period.
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