CURRENT AFFAIRS | 25 MAY 2026
Per an Indian Express Explained piece dated 25 May 2026, DRDO last week completed final development trials of the UAV-Launched Precision Guided Missile ULPGM-V3 at its Kurnool test range in Andhra Pradesh, in both air-to-ground (anti-armour) and air-to-air (drone/helicopter) modes. User trials by the armed forces are next. V1 was free-fall, V2 added propulsion and mid-course updates with longer range, and V3 now covers both ground and aerial targets, all-weather, with advanced multi-sensor target tracking and a multi-warhead family.
Built end-to-end in the Indian defence ecosystem (DRDO + Bharat Dynamics Ltd + Adani Defence Systems & Technologies, integrated with UAVs by Newspace Research & Technologies), the system is a poster-child of Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence and confirms a mature domestic supply chain for serial production. Strategically, ULPGM-V3 is India’s answer to lessons drawn from West Asia’s drone-and-counter-drone warfare.
Constitutional & Legal Framework
- Allocation of Business Rules — DRDO under Department of Defence R&D, Min. of Defence
- Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 — replaced DPP 2016; added “Buy (Indian-IDDM)” top category
- iDEX scheme — Make II innovation challenges
- SRIJAN portal — Defence indigenisation
- 5 Positive Indigenisation Lists (since Aug 2020) — items banned from import
- Arms Act 1959 + Atomic Energy Act 1962 — Regulatory backdrop
- Defence Industrial Corridors — Uttar Pradesh + Tamil Nadu (Budget 2018)
CLAT 2027 Angle
Tests Atmanirbhar Bharat (FY24 defence exports a record ₹21,083 crore) and the difference between DPP 2016 and DAP 2020. Compare with AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft — 5.5-gen stealth fighter, ₹15,000 cr R&D approved 2024), LCA Mk1A and Tejas Mk2. Defence offset policy mandates ≥50% indigenous content in “Buy (Global)” contracts above ₹2,000 crore.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Missile | ULPGM-V3 |
| Lab + partners | DRDO + BDL + Adani Defence + Newspace |
| Capability (V3) | Ground + aerial, all-weather, fire-and-forget |
| Variants | V1 free-fall · V2 propelled · V3 multi-target |
| Test site | Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh |
| Governing framework | DAP 2020 |
| Defence exports FY24 | ₹21,083 cr (record) |
Mnemonic: “DRDO”
- Dual ground + aerial targets (V3 upgrade)
- Range grows V1 → V2 → V3
- Drones countered via pre-fragmentation warheads
- Ordered via Buy (Indian-IDDM) under DAP 2020
Landmark Cases
- Anuj Garg v Hotel Assn (2008) — Proportionality doctrine, applied to defence-procurement reviews
- Centre for PIL v UoI (2014) — Defence-contract transparency
Practice Quiz
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.
