NEW DELHI — May 4, 2026: India has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) along with corresponding maritime advisories for a series of missile tests scheduled across multiple dates in May, identifying a large restricted zone stretching over the Bay of Bengal and into the Indian Ocean.
According to the notification, testing activities are planned for May 6, May 8, and May 9, 2026, with operational windows between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Indian Standard Time (IST). An additional time-specific notice highlights testing on May 6 and May 9 between 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. IST. These alerts have been issued to ensure civilian air traffic and maritime routes avoid the designated hazard zone during the specified periods.
The NOTAM defines a triangular or wedge-shaped restricted area extending approximately 3,560 kilometers from India’s eastern coastline. The corridor originates near the Odisha coast and projects southeastward across the Bay of Bengal, running parallel to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands before continuing into international waters of the Indian Ocean, including regions east of Sri Lanka. Visual representations of the notification, widely circulated on platforms such as X, label the central trajectory as “RANGE–3,560 KMS” and clearly outline the restricted airspace.
Such NOTAMs are standard procedure ahead of missile trials, providing advance warning to aviation and shipping operators. The size and extent of the notified zone are consistent with previous long-range ballistic missile tests conducted from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast, or from naval platforms operating in nearby waters.
While no official confirmation has been issued regarding the specific missile system tied to the 3,560-km NOTAM, the declared range aligns most closely with several existing and emerging platforms in India’s strategic arsenal. It comfortably falls within the operational envelope of the K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), which is estimated to have a strike range of around 3,500 kilometers and has recently undergone user validation trials from India’s nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) fleet.
Speculation has also emerged around whether the test could involve an advanced configuration of Agni-V, potentially an upgraded Mk-2 variant, or a reduced-range validation of Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) or hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) technologies. However, no official evidence currently confirms such a designation. Reports surrounding DRDO’s Project Dhvani, believed to be a hypersonic glide vehicle concept potentially launched via an Agni-series booster, have fueled additional discussion. Nevertheless, Dhvani remains largely developmental and unverified in open official sources. Based on the published range profile, analysts currently assess that a K-4 SLBM validation or an experimental Agni-V derivative remains more plausible than a full-scale operational hypersonic deployment.
Defense analysts note that such exercises are conducted to validate system performance, assess tracking and telemetry networks, and maintain strategic operational readiness. These trials also support the continued maturation of India’s sea-based nuclear deterrent and reinforce the broader framework of its nuclear triad.
Authorities have advised all civilian aircraft and maritime operators to avoid the specified corridor during the designated testing windows. As of now, no further details regarding the launch platform or missile configuration have been released by the Ministry of Defence or the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
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