DRDO Unveils BM-04: India’s Hypersonic Glide Vehicle-Topped Ballistic Missile at Hyderabad Defence Exhibition

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has taken a bold step in advancing the country’s strategic deterrence with the unveiling of the BM-04, a new-generation ballistic missile system integrating a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV). The missile was showcased at the Hyderabad Defence Exhibition 2025, drawing significant attention due to its advanced configuration and potential to revolutionize India's missile capabilities.

BM-04: A Two-Staged Solid Rocket Ballistic Missile with an HGV

BM-04 follows a unique two-stage solid-propellant booster design, serving as the launch platform for an advanced hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV). This setup is expected to provide an estimated range of 2,500 km, with the two ballistic missile stages propelling the HGV to approximately 2,000 km, after which the glide vehicle utilizes its own propulsion or aerodynamics to extend its range and maneuverability.

Potential Capabilities and Strategic Importance

• Replacement for Agni-II IRBM: Given its estimated range and agility, BM-04 could serve as a next-generation replacement for India’s aging Agni-II intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). Unlike traditional IRBMs, which follow a predictable ballistic trajectory, BM-04’s HGV introduces an unpredictable and maneuverable reentry path, making it significantly harder to intercept.
• Boost-Glide Technology: The HGV atop BM-04 likely follows a boost-glide reentry vehicle (BGRV) approach, where it is launched to high altitudes before gliding at hypersonic speeds towards its target, ensuring both speed and precision.
• Potential to Engage Moving Targets: If equipped with an advanced seeker and maneuvering capabilities, BM-04 could theoretically strike moving naval or land-based targets, making it a formidable anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) weapon.

Aerodynamic Design for Hypersonic Maneuverability

BM-04’s hypersonic glide vehicle incorporates a cruciform wing configuration with:

• Four low-aspect-ratio wings generating high lift via vortex lift for sustained glide phases.
• Four inline actuated rear fins, providing:
  1. Directional stability at hypersonic speeds.
  2. High maneuverability to evade missile defenses.
  3. Energy depletion maneuvers for terminal-phase evasiveness.
  4. Wide-ranging glide trajectories, allowing variable-angle attacks.

India’s Leap in Hypersonic Missile Technology

BM-04 signals India’s push toward operational hypersonic weapons, following earlier tests of the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV). Developed by DRDO’s Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), BM-04 could place India alongside the U.S., China, and Russia in the hypersonic strike domain.

As India moves toward full-scale testing and operational deployment, BM-04 could redefine India’s deterrence and strategic precision strike capabilities, offering unmatched survivability and effectiveness on the modern battlefield.