On 29 December 2025, India conducted the maiden flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR) with a reported range of 120 kilometres from its Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha. On the occasion, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and stated that the “successful design and development of long-range guided rockets will boost the capabilities of the Armed Forces.” He further described the achievement as a “game changer.” This recent advancement in India’s guided rocket artillery programme has drawn attention to its emerging conventional force posture, which has profound implications for future conflicts in South Asia.

The Pinaka system was originally developed as a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) designed for short-range area saturation in support of ground maneuvers. The extended-range Pinaka LRGR-120, however, represents a clear change in how India intends to use this system. Instead of employing it primarily for saturated strikes against wide area targets, India is now assigning Pinaka the role of engaging targets beyond the immediate battlefield. This change in employment alters the function of Pinaka from tactical to operational-level relevance.

Technical details released by the DRDO after the test indicate that the rocket incorporates a guidance system and control features intended to maintain accuracy throughout its flight. The DRDO confirmed that the rocket executed all planned in-flight maneuvers and was continuously tracked by range instrumentation until impact. These disclosures reinforce that Pinaka LRGR-120 is designed for precision engagement rather than an area weapon, marking a substantive departure from earlier unguided variants of the system.

Brandon J. Weichert, a senior national security editor at The National Interest, highlighted in his 10 January 2026 article, “The New Pinaka LRGR-120 Missile: A Quiet Revolution in Indian Doctrine,” that India has deliberately altered the operational purpose of the Pinaka system. He wrote that the induction of Pinaka LRGR-120 reflects India’s intent to employ rocket artillery for long-range conventional strikes during the early stages of a conflict, rather than limiting its role to close support of ground forces. He further noted that this adjustment expands India’s conventional response options without immediate reliance on air operations, thereby changing how force may be applied during the opening phase of a future military crisis.

India has consistently justified its military modernization by citing security challenges along its northern borders. However, the operational characteristics of Pinaka LRGR-120 align more directly with requirements along India’s western border. The system’s range, combined with its compatibility with launchers already deployed near the India–Pakistan border, makes it suitable for employment in South Asian conflict scenarios where distances are limited and military infrastructure is densely concentrated. This operational reality contradicts India’s public narrative and places the system firmly within the regional security context of South Asia.

Apparently, the development and subsequent testing of the Pinaka LRGR-120 is an outcome of the setbacks India suffered during the Four-Day War in May 2025 military confrontation with Pakistan. The episode exposed the vulnerability of India’s high-value air assets, including Rafale. The change in employment strategy and flight parameters of Pinaka suggests that it is inspired by Pakistan’s Fateh-I and Fateh-II multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), which inflicted heavy damage on the Indian military in the Four-Day war. Based on lessons learned from the conflict, India seeks to strengthen its land-based precision strike capabilities that could be employed without repeating the risks associated with air operations. The latest test of Pinaka LRGR-120 in December 2025 underscores this post-crisis recalibration.

By investing in long-range guided artillery, India is attempting to preserve options for limited conventional action under the nuclear threshold. On 12 May 2025, Prime Minister Modi, in his televised speech to the nation, stated that escalation against Pakistan is a “new normal.” Therefore, such land-based precision strike systems offer New Delhi a means of applying force that appears more controllable than air strikes and less escalatory than ballistic missiles. This capability allows Indian planners to consider geographically confined and time-bound military actions while attempting to avoid immediate strategic signalling at higher levels of escalation.

However, the introduction of such systems creates its own risks. Long-range precision rocket artillery shortens the time available for decision-making and makes early warning assessments challenging for the adversary. Christopher Stone, a senior fellow at Space Studies at the Mitchell Institute for Space Power Advantage Centre of Excellence, underscored in his Policy Paper of June 2022, “A combination of low altitude flight and high speeds can greatly diminish the time available for radars to detect incoming threats, predict their impact points, cue defensive systems, and launch countermeasures.” In a crisis environment, the launch of guided rockets can create confusion for the opposing side. Their speed and low flight path leave very little time to detect and assess the attack. When such rockets are launched near the India–Pakistan border, they may be interpreted as the beginning of a larger military operation. This increases the risk of miscalculation and escalation.

The command-and-control implications of employing long-range guided artillery are also significant. Precision strikes require accurate targeting information, rapid coordination, and timely delegation of launch authority on both political and military levels. During a crisis, the delegation of authority to field commanders could increase the risk of inadvertent escalation. India’s refusal for dialogue with Pakistan to resolve outstanding disputes and discuss further Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) makes such precision-strike weapons highly concerning for the regional stability.

Pinaka LRGR-120 test also signals a continuing trajectory in India’s military force advancements. Statements associated with the programme indicate plans for further extending the range and accuracy of Pinaka. Each enhancement has the potential to broaden India’s conventional strike envelope and may compel Pakistan to adjust its own force posture, perpetuating a cycle of competitive military development.

This dynamic poses a serious threat and can undermine strategic stability in South Asia. Unlike nuclear weapons, which are governed by established deterrence logic, long-range conventional systems operate in a grey zone where thresholds are less clearly defined. Their use creates uncertainty regarding intent, scale, and escalation control, particularly during fast-moving crises.

The Indian test of the Pinaka LRGR-120 is not a routine undertaking. It reflects a deliberate effort to reconfigure rocket artillery from an area-saturation weapon to a long-range guided strike system shaped by India’s defeat in the May 2025 confrontation. By seeking conventional options that avoid the nuclear risks, India is attempting to create space for limited scale conflict under the nuclear threshold, which potentially increases the risk of miscalculation and crisis instability. Without transparency, restraint, and meaningful CBMs, such developments make future conflicts in the region more dangerous and less predictable.

Zeeshan Hyder is a research officer at the Center for International Strategic Studies Sindh (CISSS), Pakistan.