1. Surface-to-Surface Cruise Missiles (SSM) of India — Based on Mission Role

India’s surface-to-surface cruise missiles play a crucial role in precision strike missions under diverse battlefield conditions. These missiles provide high accuracy, stealthy flight, and long-range engagement capability, helping India strengthen tactical and strategic deterrence. Below are the key Indian SSCMs categorized according to their mission role:

A. Land-Attack Cruise Missiles (LACM)

Land-Attack Cruise Missiles (LACMs) are long-range, precision weapons designed to strike high-value land targets deep inside enemy territory. Flying at low, terrain-hugging altitudes, they evade radar and air defences while maintaining high accuracy.

B. Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles (ASCM) – Surface-Launched

Surface-launched Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles (ASCMs) are guided missiles designed to strike enemy warships from ships, coastal batteries, or land-based launchers. They fly at low, sea-skimming altitudes to avoid detection and use advanced navigation and radar seekers for accurate targeting. Their long range, high precision, and ability to evade defences make them essential for naval strike, sea denial, and coastal protection.

C. Anti-Submarine Cruise-Type Missiles (ASW Missile-Torpedo Systems)

Anti-Submarine Cruise-Type Missiles are hybrid weapons that combine the speed of a missile with the underwater hunting ability of a torpedo. Launched from ships, submarines, or aircraft, the missile quickly travels toward the suspected submarine location and then releases a lightweight torpedo into the water. This allows navies to attack submarines at long ranges, react faster, and engage threats beyond the reach of traditional torpedoes. These systems greatly strengthen fleet defence, sea control, and anti-submarine warfare.

2. SSM Cruise Missiles of India — Based on Speed Category

India deploys a variety of surface-to-surface cruise missiles that differ in speed, range, and mission profile. Categorizing them based on speed helps in understanding their strike capability, reaction time, and survivability against enemy air defences.

 A. Subsonic Cruise Missiles (Below Mach 1)

These missiles fly slower than the speed of sound but offer long range, stealth, and fuel efficiency. Their terrain-hugging flight path makes detection difficult.

B. Supersonic Cruise Missiles (Mach 1–3)

These missiles travel faster than the speed of sound, reducing enemy reaction time and making interception extremely difficult.

C. Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (Mach 5+)

India is developing next-generation hypersonic weapons for extremely fast, long-range, and high-survivability strike missions.

 BrahMos-II (Under Development)

• Expected Speed: Mach 6–7

• Range: 600–1,000 km

• Role: Strategic high-speed precision strike

• Features: High manoeuvrability, hypersonic ramjet engine

(Not yet operational; part of India’s future hypersonic program.)

3. SSM Cruise Missiles of India — Based on Launch Platform

India deploys highly versatile cruise missiles capable of being launched from multiple platforms, giving the armed forces flexibility in strike operations on land and at sea. Below is the classification of India’s Surface-to-Surface Cruise Missiles based on their launch platforms.

A. Ground-Launched Cruise Missiles (GLCM)

(Launched from land-based mobile launchers or coastal batteries)

These missiles are fired from ground-based mobile launchers, offering rapid deployment and deep-strike capability.

B. Ship-Launched Cruise Missiles (Surface Ship Launchers)

(Not strictly SSM from land, but India’s cruise missile inventory includes these)

These cruise missiles are deployed from surface warships, forming a major part of India’s maritime strike capability.

C. Submarine-Launched Cruise Missiles (SLCM)

(Cruise-type torpedo delivery systems launched underwater)

Missiles launched from submerged submarines provide stealth-based, underwater strike capability.

BrahMos Submarine-Launched Variant (Tested Concept)

• Launch Platform: Standard submarine torpedo tube / VLS module

• Features: Supersonic speed, stealthy underwater launch

• Role: Anti-ship and land-attack missions

• (Not yet fully operational but validated in trials.)

Conclusion

India’s surface-to-surface cruise missiles, deployed across land, naval, and submarine platforms, form a powerful and flexible strike capability for the nation’s armed forces. From long-range subsonic systems like Nirbhay Missile to high-speed multipurpose variants of BrahMos Missile, these missiles ensure precision engagement, rapid response, and strategic reach across diverse terrains and maritime zones. The inclusion of advanced systems like SMART further enhances India’s anti-submarine warfare depth. Together, this multi-platform cruise missile architecture significantly strengthens India’s deterrence posture, operational readiness, and ability to conduct high-impact operations in the air, land, and sea domains. For more information about missiles visit Education Masters.