Integrated Rocket Force (India)

Integrated Rocket Force
Country	India
Branch	Indian Armed Forces
Type	Proposed tri-service rocket and missile force
Role	Conventional long-range precision strike
Part of	Indian Armed Forces
Equipment	Proposed conventional ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and multiple rocket launchers

The Integrated Rocket Force (IRF) is a proposed tri-service conventional rocket and missile force of the Indian Armed Forces. The concept envisages consolidating long-range conventional strike capabilities involving ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and multiple rocket launchers under a more integrated command structure.

The proposed force is conceptually distinct from the existing Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which forms part of India's nuclear command-and-control structure. The proposed rocket force has instead been discussed primarily in relation to conventional long-range precision strike and non-contact warfare.

As of 2026, the Government of India had not publicly announced the formal establishment of a tri-service Integrated Rocket Force. In January 2026, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi said that India was looking at raising a "rocket-cum-missile force" in view of the long-range strike capabilities fielded by neighbouring countries.

History

The concept of a dedicated Indian rocket force entered public discussion in September 2021, when India's first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, stated that India was considering establishing a rocket force.

Rawat's proposal came amid an increased emphasis on long-range precision weapons, joint military operations and forms of warfare in which missiles, drones, space-based systems and other stand-off weapons can engage targets without direct contact between opposing ground formations.

In January 2023, the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses described the proposed Integrated Rocket Force as a potential instrument for conventional deterrence and non-contact warfare. The analysis distinguished such a force from India's nuclear-oriented Strategic Forces Command.

The precise organisational model remained undecided. Proposals have included a tri-service agency comparable with the Defence Space Agency and Defence Cyber Agency, as well as a larger command-level organisation.

Developments in 2026

In January 2026, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said that the Army was looking at raising a "rocket-cum-missile" force and described such a capability as necessary in view of developments in the region.

Later that month, Hindustan Times reported that the Indian Army had already deployed two rocket-force units while increasing the reach of its artillery and long-range strike systems.

The reported Army rocket-force units have not been publicly identified by the Ministry of Defence as constituting the proposed tri-service Integrated Rocket Force. The Army development and the proposed tri-service organisation are therefore treated separately in publicly available sources.

Proposed role

The proposed IRF is intended primarily to strengthen India's conventional long-range strike capability.

Potential functions discussed for such an organisation include:

• coordination of conventional surface-to-surface missile forces;
• employment of long-range precision-guided weapons;
• integration of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and long-range rocket artillery;
• conventional deterrence through stand-off strike capability; and
• greater coordination of long-range strike assets among the armed services.

Unlike the Strategic Forces Command, the proposed force has generally been discussed as a conventional rather than nuclear organisation.

Long-range strike programmes

A number of Indian missile and rocket programmes have been discussed in connection with the development of a future conventional long-range strike architecture. Public sources, however, do not establish that all of these systems have been formally assigned to the proposed IRF.

Pralay

The Pralay conventional surface-to-surface missile during the 2025 Republic Day Parade rehearsal.

The Pralay is an indigenously developed conventional surface-to-surface missile.

In December 2025, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a salvo launch of two Pralay missiles from the same launcher as part of user-evaluation trials. Both missiles followed their intended trajectories and met the stated flight objectives.

By January 2026, the Ministry of Defence stated that Pralay was among DRDO-developed systems whose procurement-board processes had been completed or were in their final stages.

Pinaka

The indigenous Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher during the 2025 Republic Day Parade.

The Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher family provides the Indian Army with rocket-artillery capability.

The Defence Acquisition Council approved procurement of Long Range Guided Rockets for the Pinaka system in December 2025, stating that the new ammunition would increase the system's range and accuracy against high-value targets.

The maiden flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket demonstrated a maximum range of approximately 120 kilometres (75 mi). A subsequent user trial was conducted from an in-service Pinaka launcher on 8 July 2026.

Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile

The Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) is an indigenous long-range cruise-missile programme developed by DRDO.

On 15 June 2026, DRDO conducted a successful flight test of the missile from Dr. Abdul Kalam Island. The Ministry of Defence stated that all flight objectives were met. Representatives of the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force witnessed the test.

The publicly released announcement did not state that the LRLACM had been assigned to the proposed Integrated Rocket Force.

BrahMos

BrahMos mobile launchers during the 2018 Republic Day Parade rehearsal.

The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is operated by multiple branches of the Indian Armed Forces and has frequently been discussed as a potential component of a future integrated conventional strike architecture.

There has, however, been no public government announcement transferring existing BrahMos formations to an Integrated Rocket Force.

Suryastra

The Indian Army has also been expanding its long-range rocket-artillery capabilities.

In January 2026, the Suryastra Universal Rocket Launcher System was displayed alongside the BrahMos system during the Republic Day Parade, with the Ministry of Defence describing the combination as demonstrating long-range precision and deep-strike firepower.

On 23 May 2026, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh formally flagged off what the Ministry of Defence described as India's first 300 km Universal Rocket Launching System, Suryastra.

Public government sources have not identified Suryastra as formally belonging to the proposed tri-service IRF.

Long Range Anti-Ship Missile

The DRDO-developed Long Range Anti-Ship Missile at the 2026 Republic Day Parade.

The DRDO-developed Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LR-AShM) is a hypersonic glide missile intended for the Indian Navy's coastal-battery requirement.

The Ministry of Defence displayed the system publicly during the 2026 Republic Day Parade and described it as capable of engaging both stationary and moving targets while travelling at hypersonic speeds.

Because the Ministry of Defence specifically describes LR-AShM as meeting an Indian Navy coastal-battery requirement, it should not be described as an IRF weapon unless a future source establishes such an assignment.

Relationship with Strategic Forces Command

Main article: Strategic Forces Command

The proposed Integrated Rocket Force and the existing Strategic Forces Command would perform different functions.

The Strategic Forces Command was established in 2003 as the military component responsible for the management and administration of India's strategic forces under the Nuclear Command Authority.

By contrast, proposals for the Integrated Rocket Force have centred on consolidating and coordinating conventional long-range precision-strike systems.

Gallery

• 
  Pralay conventional surface-to-surface missile
• 
  Pinaka multiple rocket launcher
• 
  BrahMos supersonic cruise missile
• 
  Nirbhay cruise missile
• 
  Long Range Anti-Ship Missile

See also

• Strategic Forces Command
• Nuclear Command Authority (India)
• Chief of Defence Staff (India)
• Integrated Defence Staff
• Defence Space Agency
• Defence Cyber Agency
• Integrated Theatre Command (India)
• Regiment of Artillery (India)
• Missile weapons of India
• Defence Research and Development Organisation
• People's Liberation Army Rocket Force
• Pakistan Army Rocket Force