The Indian armed forces are continuously enhancing their artillery strength. Recently, the Army made its seventh regiment of the domestically built Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher system fully functional.
Preparations are also in full swing to ready another regiment before this year concludes. This expansion highlights a strategic push to reinforce long-distance strike abilities along India's northern and western borders.
Defence establishment insiders confirm that the seventh Pinaka regiment is now actively serving within the artillery divisions.
The eighth regiment, which is currently being raised, has already acquired more than half of its required hardware. Troops are going through necessary training and conversion, with the unit scheduled to achieve full operational status by late this year.
Adding these new units is a key piece of the Army's wider modernisation strategy launched over the last ten years.
Out of a six-regiment order placed in 2020, two additional units are slated to be combat-ready by next year. Once these join the active roster, the Indian Army will boast a total of ten operational Pinaka regiments, offering a massive upgrade to its rocket artillery firepower.
Between 2010 and 2020, India placed initial orders for four Pinaka regiments to gradually upgrade its artillery. However, the 2020 Galwan Valley skirmish between Indian and Chinese military forces in eastern Ladakh shifted this timeline.
The conflict underscored the urgent necessity for quick-reaction, long-range weapons capable of performing well in high-altitude, mountainous combat zones.
In response, the Ministry of Defence signed agreements valued at roughly ₹2,580 crore in late 2020. These contracts, awarded to major domestic defence manufacturers such as BEML, Tata Power Company Limited, and Larsen & Toubro, secured six more Pinaka regiments.
The massive order included 114 launchers fitted with Automated Gun Aiming and Positioning Systems, alongside 45 command posts and approximately 330 support and logistics vehicles to maintain intensive combat operations.
A standard regiment forms the primary operational unit within the Army's artillery framework, usually divided into three batteries. Because each battery is equipped with six Pinaka launchers, a single regiment commands a combat force of 18 active launchers.
Furthermore, two extra launchers are typically kept on hand for training and as wartime backups.
A single Pinaka battery provides devastating firepower. When six launchers fire simultaneously, they can launch an impressive 72 rockets in just 44 seconds.
This intense barrage can blanket an area of about 1,000 by 800 metres, making it exceptionally deadly against enemy troop gatherings, logistics centres, artillery positions, and other critical battlefield assets.
Thanks to its rapid firing rate, high mobility, and local manufacturing, the Pinaka system is now a cornerstone of India's contemporary artillery strategy.
Engineered by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by various Indian defence companies, it stands out as one of the nation's most triumphant home-grown military projects.
Beyond its current deployment, the Pinaka system is undergoing continuous technological evolution.
The DRDO is actively testing advanced variants, including the Long-Range Guided Rocket (LRGR) aiming for a strike range of up to 120 kilometres, providing deeper precision strike capabilities.
Furthermore, the system has proven to be a major catalyst for India's defence export sector. Armenia recently became the first confirmed international buyer to receive deliveries of the guided Pinaka rockets, while nations like France have also expressed active interest in acquiring the system.
