NEW DELHI: In a big boost for the country’s maritime defence, India has successfully conducted the second flight test of DRDO-developed long-range hypersonic anti-ship missile (LR-AShM). The test was conducted off Odisha coast on Friday, sources told TOI.With its impressive strike range of above 1,500 km that extends India’s maritime defensive reach into deep ocean and speed of Mach 10 (10 times speed of sound), the missile is bound to raise concerns for India’s rivals like China and Pakistan. The second test focused on a two-stage hypersonic glide vehicle design.Though DRDO and defence ministry are mum over the test, BJP on Saturday posted on its official X account a video of the missile test with the text: “India's hypersonic edge just got sharper. DRDO’s LR-AShM Phase-II test off the Odisha coast signals a new era. Reflecting the vision of PM Modi for a self-reliant, future-ready India, it marks a powerful leap in indigenous defence innovation.”While designed to reach a maximum speed of Mach 10, the missile can maintain an average speed of around Mach 5.0 during its glide phase. With this speed, the missile can evade modern ship-based interception and radar systems. LR-AShM is designed to carry various payloads for ranges greater than 1,500 km for armed forces. It features a hypersonic glide vehicle on a two-stage solid rocket, delivering a “carrier-killer” capability, the defence ministry had said during the missile’s first test on Nov 14, 2024.Besides unmatched speed, it boasts unpredictable skipping trajectories and low-altitude, radar-evading flight paths. It can engage both static and moving targets (such as aircraft carriers) using indigenously developed sensors for high precision in the terminal phase. The missile was on display for the first time during the Republic Day parade on Jan 26 this year.The missile represents a major achievement towards self-reliance in advanced defence technologies as it has been developed by laboratories of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile complex, Hyderabad, along with various other DRDO laboratories and industry partners.