Defence Research and Development Organisation
Prithvi-II
India's first indigenously developed short-range tactical ballistic missile family, road-mobile and capable of carrying conventional or nuclear warheads, forming the basis for later derivatives including the Dhanush naval variant.
In service since 2003 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
350
km range
5
Mach
1,000
kg warhead
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 2003. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
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.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 5 Mach |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 350 km |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 1,000 kg |
|---|---|
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Nuclear or conventional |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Inertial navigation |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 8.56 m |
|---|
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Liquid-fuel rocket, two-stage |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 0 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
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 Prithvi-II? +
The Defence Research and Development Organisation Prithvi-II has a maximum range of 350 km.
What is the Defence Research and Development Organisation Prithvi-II used for? +
The Defence Research and Development Organisation Prithvi-II is a missile typically used for deep strike.
How many countries operate the Defence Research and Development Organisation Prithvi-II? +
The Defence Research and Development Organisation Prithvi-II is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Defence Research and Development Organisation Prithvi-II cost? +
Defence Research and Development Organisation Prithvi-II: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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