The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is moving ahead with plans to establish a new missile and weapons testing range at Junput in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district along the Bay of Bengal, expanding India's defence testing infrastructure on the eastern coast.
The proposed facility will serve as an additional testing hub alongside the existing Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Odisha. Located about 70 km from Chandipur, the Junput range is intended to help share the growing testing workload at the Odisha facility and increase India's capacity to conduct missile and weapons trials, reported Economic Times.
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The proposed site spans around 8.73 acres near Digha beach. Land acquisition and initial infrastructure work had already been completed, but the project was delayed due to land clearance issues, local concerns and administrative hurdles.
DRDO had originally proposed the Purba Medinipur facility in 2024. The project has now gained attention, with the West Bengal government renewing its engagement and local authorities supporting the development.
The specific missile systems planned for testing at Junput have not been publicly disclosed. However, reports describe the facility as being intended for testing strategically important weapons and missile systems.
The new range would complement the capabilities of the existing ITR at Chandipur and Abdul Kalam Island. Chandipur's facilities are used for trials of systems including tactical and surface-to-air missiles and Pinaka rockets, while Abdul Kalam Island supports testing of longer-range strategic missile systems, as per ET.
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Junput is also expected to become part of a broader expansion of India's missile-testing network, alongside the existing Odisha facility and a proposed testing facility in Andhra Pradesh.
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