India's Pinaka rocket launcher gains global attention, with France eyeing it for military use as DRDO advances its capabilities for extended-range precision strikes. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently finished flight tests of the Guided Pinaka Weapon System as part of ... The Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL), an all-weather, rocket artillery weapon system, continues to serve as a critical component of India’s battlefield capabilities. Designed to deliver high volumes of fire within a short time, the Pinaka system is intended for rapid, concentrated strikes on critical and time-sensitive enemy targets. The Pinaka system is a mobile, rocket launcher capable of delivering devastating firepower across long distances. First introduced in the late 1990s, it has become a central component of India’s artillery, with its enhanced versions continuing to evolve. Pakistan has begun fielding the Fatah II guided multiple-launch rocket system, reportedly able to reach about 400 kilometers with high precision. India should accelerate the development of long-range Pinaka variants (Mk5/Mk6) to regain deep-strike parity and improve counterbattery options without escalating to ballistic missile use.
