India Strengthens Deep Strike Artillery with Two More Regiments of BEML’s Pinaka Rocket Systems.

On June 24, 2025, India’s state-run firm BEML and partners expand the domestically developed Pinaka rocket artillery system, reinforcing its role as a strategic long-range fire support solution. Positioned within the artillery modernization framework, the Pinaka system belongs to the multi-barrel rocket launcher category and exemplifies the deep strike doctrine in India's border defense strategy. With two new regiments being operationalized and more to follow, the Indian Army accelerates its shift from Soviet-era platforms to indigenous firepower, as reported by The New Indian Express.
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The expansion of the Pinaka rocket artillery system underlines a transformative phase in India’s military modernization, transitioning from legacy imports to robust indigenous systems capable of dominating complex terrains and high-intensity conflicts (Picture source: Indian Army)

The Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL), developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), Tata Power Company Limited (TPCL), and Larsen & Toubro (L&T), is a 214-mm caliber rocket system designed for high-volume saturation attacks. Each battery consists of six launchers capable of firing 72 rockets in just 44 seconds, delivering destructive coverage over an area of nearly 800 x 1000 meters. Deployed on high-mobility vehicles, the Pinaka integrates Automated Gun Aiming & Positioning Systems (AGAPS) and digital command posts, allowing it to strike targets up to 38 km away at sea level, and significantly farther in high-altitude zones like Ladakh. The current regiments field 114 launchers, supported by 45 command posts and 330 logistics vehicles, making it a formidable asset for quick deployment and high-impact engagement.

Initially conceived in the 1980s as a replacement for the Russian BM-21 Grad system, Pinaka underwent a protracted development cycle before entering service in the early 2000s. Its first battlefield deployment occurred during the Kargil War in 1999 in a limited role, after which full regimental induction accelerated. Since then, incremental upgrades and trials, particularly of the Extended Range (ER) version capable of reaching 75 km, have transformed Pinaka into a core component of India’s artillery roadmap. The regiments raised in 2024 were part of a 2020 defense ministry contract worth ₹2,580 crore (approximately $310 million), and in February 2025, additional contracts totaling ₹10,147 crore (around $1.22 billion) were signed to procure various munitions, including 6,400 rockets.

Compared to legacy systems like the Grad-21, the Pinaka provides superior range, digitized fire control, and better mobility. Unlike the Grad’s 40-rocket salvo, Pinaka delivers 72 rockets with greater precision and reduced reaction time. When compared to other systems such as Russia’s Tornado-G or the Chinese PHL-03, Pinaka may not yet match them in maximum range, but it holds the advantage of domestic production, modularity, and integration within India’s digital battlefield networks. These qualities make Pinaka a centerpiece of India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India) defense policy, while simultaneously ensuring supply chain sovereignty.

Strategically, the induction of additional Pinaka regiments reinforces India’s deterrence posture against both Pakistan and China. Deployed along the western and northern borders, Pinaka enables rapid saturation strikes deep into enemy territory, compensating for terrain limitations and accelerating the tempo of operations. Its high-altitude performance gives India an edge in Himalayan regions, where conventional artillery faces range constraints. The shift toward indigenous systems also reduces dependency on foreign suppliers, aligning with India's broader geopolitical strategy of strategic autonomy and its ambition to emerge as a regional defense manufacturing hub.

The expansion of the Pinaka rocket artillery system underlines a transformative phase in India’s military modernization, transitioning from legacy imports to robust indigenous systems capable of dominating complex terrains and high-intensity conflicts. With deep strategic implications across multiple theatres, the Pinaka regiments represent not just a technological leap but a calibrated assertion of India’s evolving deterrence doctrine.