India has notified a nearly 600-kilometre danger zone over the Bay of Bengal for a missile trial set for September 25-26, 2026, though the exact system remains undisclosed.

BulletsIn

• India issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) declaring a danger zone spanning nearly 600 kilometres in the Bay of Bengal for September 25-26, 2026.
• The notification, first flagged by open-source defence tracker Damien Symon, restricts civilian aircraft and maritime traffic from the designated corridor during the two-day window.
• The Ministry of Defence has not officially identified the missile system scheduled for the trial.
• Defence observers speculate the test could involve the Pralay tactical ballistic missile, a Prithvi-series missile, or an extended-range BrahMos variant.
• The Pralay is reported to have an operational range of roughly 350 to 500 kilometres, shorter than the notified 600-kilometre zone.
• Extended-range BrahMos variants have been developed to fly well beyond the original missile’s 290-kilometre range.
• The notified 600-kilometre area likely covers the broader flight trajectory and safety buffer rather than indicating the missile’s exact strike range.
• NOTAMs of this kind are routine advance safety notices issued before defence trials to keep civilian traffic clear of hazardous test zones.
• The Bay of Bengal off the Odisha coast, home to facilities such as the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur and the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island launch complex, has hosted a steady cadence of Indian missile trials through 2026.
• Past tests in the region have reportedly drawn scrutiny from foreign naval vessels seeking to gather telemetry data on India’s evolving missile capabilities.