New Delhi, — April 27, 2026 : India has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) along with a corresponding Maritime Area Restriction (MAR), designating a temporary no-fly and restricted sea zone over the Bay of Bengal for likely missile testing activity scheduled between May 1 and May 3, 2026.
According to the notification issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and maritime authorities, the restricted corridor will be active daily from 05:00 UTC to 07:00 UTC during the three-day window. The designated hazard zone extends to a maximum length of approximately 1,680 kilometres, originating from the eastern coast and projecting southward into the Bay of Bengal toward the broader Indian Ocean region.
The launch is expected to take place from Abdul Kalam Island, which hosts the Integrated Test Range (ITR) operated by the Defence Research and Development Organisation. The facility serves as India’s primary site for testing strategic and tactical missile systems, including the Agni-series ballistic missiles, BrahMos cruise missiles, and various hypersonic technology demonstrators.
Civil aviation operators and maritime traffic have been instructed to avoid the specified corridor during the notified timeframes to ensure safety along the projected flight path and potential impact area.
Based on the declared range profile and testing window, defence analysts assess that the trial may involve one of several systems currently under development or validation. These include the Agni-Prime (Agni-1P), a two-stage, solid-fuelled, canister-launched medium-range ballistic missile with an estimated range of 1,000 to 2,000 kilometres and advanced guidance systems derived from the Agni-IV and Agni-V programmes.
Other potential candidates include the Extended Trajectory-Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile (ET-LDHCM), a scramjet-powered system developed under Project Vishnu. The missile has demonstrated speeds of up to Mach 8 and a range of approximately 1,500 kilometres in earlier trials conducted in July 2025, with capabilities for sustained hypersonic flight and flexible payload configurations.
The Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LR-AShM), a hypersonic boost-glide system designed for maritime strike roles, is also considered a possible candidate. The system employs a two-stage booster to deploy a hypersonic glide vehicle capable of engaging moving and static targets at ranges near 1,500 kilometres.
Officials have not confirmed the specific system scheduled for testing. The issuance of NOTAMs and maritime advisories is a standard procedural measure ahead of missile trials to ensure the safety of civilian air and sea operations. Similar notifications have been issued in recent months for test activities in the same region, reflecting ongoing validation cycles within India’s missile development programmes.
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