NEW DELHI: As per official sources quoted in an ANI report, India's defence establishment is likely to test the 500 km range, indigneously developed Submarine Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM) from the eastern coast of the nation next month. The same sources also said that the arsenal of India's armed forces is likely to get a boost as the Ministry of Defence is expected to take up the case for the procurement of an 800 km range land attack cruise missle in a meeting that is schedhuled for next week.  

The SLCM system has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in partnership with Indian business entities Larsen and Tourbo, Godrej and Sameer. It was trialled back in February 2023 where it met all its set mission objectives and acheived a range of 402 km. 

The missile has been developed with two variants — the Land Attack Cruise Missile (LACM) and the Anti-Ship Cruise Missle (ASCM). Technologies such as as thurst vector control to turn the missile into and onto the target plane, in-flight wing deployment and in-flight engine start have already been proven. 

The SLCM is expected to be used alongside indigenously manufactured submarines built by the Navy under the Project-75 (India) acquisition programme. Adding to this, official sources quoted in media reports say that the cruise missle systems of the armed forces, alongside short and medium range ballistic missiles, are expected to be part of a dedicated rocket force that is planned to be set up in the future.