WeaponSpecs
Artillery & MLRS India flagIndia

Defence Research and Development Organisation

Pinaka

India's indigenous multi-barrel rocket launcher system, capable of saturating an area with 12 rockets in 44 seconds, first used operationally during the Kargil War and since upgraded with extended-range guided variants.

In service since 1999 · 1 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

90

km range

214

mm gun

Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

National export licensing

Subject to India export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.

Channel: Direct commercial / G2G

Fielded & proven

Limited · 1 operator

In service since 1999. Status: active · ~200 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Range

Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.

90 km
Bottom 4% of artillery systems
Rate of fire

Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability.

12 rpm
Stronger than 86% of artillery systems

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament

Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.

12× 214 mm rocket pods
Caliber

Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.

214 mm
Max firing range

Maximum range of the main gun or rocket artillery (with assisted/extended-range munitions where noted). Higher extends reach.

90 km
Stronger than 79% of artillery systems

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Crew

Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.

4

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion type

Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…

Solid-fuel rocket

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Units built

Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.

200
Stronger than 32% of artillery systems
Operator countries

Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.

1
Stronger than 17% of artillery systems

Specifications compiled from public Defence Research and Development Organisation and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the range of the Defence Research and Development Organisation Pinaka? +

The Defence Research and Development Organisation Pinaka has a maximum range of 90 km.

How many crew does the Defence Research and Development Organisation Pinaka require? +

The Defence Research and Development Organisation Pinaka requires a crew of 4.

What is the main armament of the Defence Research and Development Organisation Pinaka? +

The Defence Research and Development Organisation Pinaka's primary weapon is the 12× 214 mm rocket pods.

What is the Defence Research and Development Organisation Pinaka used for? +

The Defence Research and Development Organisation Pinaka is a artillery & mlrs typically used for deep strike.

How many countries operate the Defence Research and Development Organisation Pinaka? +

The Defence Research and Development Organisation Pinaka is operated by 1 countries.

How much does the Defence Research and Development Organisation Pinaka cost? +

Defence Research and Development Organisation Pinaka: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.

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