ThePrint CutTheClutter: India unveils new hypersonic anti-ship missile: How it gives a strategic edge, & message to Pakistan
Jan 27, 2026
Discussion of India’s new long-range hypersonic anti-ship missile and what its speed and maneuverability mean for modern non-contact warfare. Exploration of range, accuracy, launcher mobility and geographic placement for deterrence. Analysis of maritime balance, area-denial roles, and how land-launched missiles can shape strategic messages to adversaries.
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Warfare Has Become Non-Contact
- Modern warfare has shifted to non-contact engagements fought at long range using missiles, drones and stand-off weapons.
- Shekhar Gupta argues deterrence now depends on range, accuracy, lethality and concealment rather than close combat.
Speed And Range Drive Deterrence
- Deterrence now prioritizes long-range, accurate and hard-to-intercept weapons to avoid wars altogether.
- Gupta emphasizes faster missiles increase interception difficulty and thus strengthen deterrence.
India's LR‑AShM: A Hypersonic Game Changer
- India revealed a large, 20-ton, 14m LR-AShM hypersonic glide vehicle capable of Mach 5–10 and terminal maneuvers.
- Gupta says its mobility, accuracy and high speed make it difficult to intercept and useful against moving naval targets.