DRDO plans new missile testing range in West Bengal

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is moving ahead with plans to establish a new missile and weapons testing range at Junput in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district along the Bay of Bengal, expanding India’s defence testing infrastructure on the eastern coast.

The proposed facility will serve as an additional testing hub alongside the existing Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Odisha. Located about 70 km from Chandipur, the Junput range is expected to help share the growing testing workload at the Odisha facility and increase India’s capacity to conduct missile and weapons trials, according to an Economic Times report.

The proposed site covers around 8.73 acres near Digha beach. Land acquisition and initial infrastructure work had already been completed, but the project was delayed due to land clearance issues, local concerns, and administrative hurdles.

DRDO had originally proposed the Purba Medinipur facility in 2024. The project has now gained attention as the West Bengal government renewed its engagement and local authorities backed its development.

The specific missile systems to be tested at Junput have not been publicly disclosed. Reports, however, describe the facility as being intended for testing strategically important weapons and missile systems.

The new range would complement the existing ITR at Chandipur and Abdul Kalam Island. Chandipur is used to test systems including tactical and surface-to-air missiles and Pinaka rockets, while Abdul Kalam Island supports trials of longer-range strategic missile systems.

Junput is also expected to form part of a broader expansion of India’s missile-testing network, alongside the existing Odisha facilities and a proposed testing facility in Andhra Pradesh.