India tests scramjet engine for over 1,000 seconds in major hypersonic milestone

India has recently marked a major achievement in hypersonic technology with a successful scramjet engine test that lasted over 1,000 seconds. 

This milestone was reached by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) at their Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad, with the test taking place on April 25, 2025, at the new Scramjet Connect Test Facility.

This test builds on a previous successful 120-second test earlier this year and is a key step towards developing hypersonic cruise missiles capable of flying at speeds over 6,100 km/h. 

The test confirmed the design and functionality of the scramjet combustor, bringing India closer to conducting full-scale flight tests.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his congratulations to DRDO, their industry partners, and academic collaborators for their hard work, while DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat also praised the team’s efforts. 

This successful test is a big step forward in India’s push to develop critical hypersonic weapons for the future.

A scramjet engine is a special kind of engine designed to work at extremely high speeds, faster than five times the speed of sound. Unlike regular jet engines, it doesn’t have moving parts like turbines. Instead, it uses the speed of the vehicle to compress air, mix it with fuel, and then ignite it for thrust. 

This allows scramjets to travel at very fast speeds, making them ideal for advanced missiles and aircraft that need to go faster than anything else.

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