New Delhi: In a significant move for India's defence infrastructure, the government has approved the establishment of a new integrated missile testing range at Junput in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district. The project, spearheaded by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will serve as the third major missile test facility in the country, alongside the existing launch ranges at Chandipur on the Odisha coast and Thumba in Kerala.
The Junput range is being developed as a fully integrated, multi-mission testing complex designed to handle a wide spectrum of missile systems — from short-range tactical weapons to intermediate-range strategic missiles. The location was chosen after extensive feasibility studies that evaluated factors such as coastline length, proximity to open sea for safe trajectory testing, population density, and logistical connectivity.
Defense sources indicated that the facility is expected to significantly reduce the bottleneck that has often plagued missile test programs, where multiple projects queue up at the single Chandipur range. With Junput operational, concurrent testing of several missile variants will become possible, potentially accelerating India's indigenous weapon development pipeline.
The announcement has also drawn attention from West Bengal's political leadership, which has welcomed the project as a major economic and infrastructural boost for the state. Officials expect the range to generate thousands of jobs during both construction and operational phases, while spurring ancillary industries and improving regional connectivity through upgrades to roads, ports, and communication networks.
The project aligns with the broader vision of self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Currently, India relies heavily on imported weapons despite a robust domestic research ecosystem. A expanded testing infrastructure is seen as critical to validating and fast-tracking indigenously developed systems before they enter service with the armed forces.
