China, Russia and U.S. are pursuing hypersonic weapons technologies. India is expected to be able to have a hypersonic weapons system within four years, with medium- to long-range capabilities.
A hypersonic missile travels at speeds of Mach 5 and higher-five times faster than speed of sound (6173 kmph).
They are highly manoeuvrable and do not follow a predictable arc as they travel.
DRDO successfully tested a Hypersonic Technology Demonstrated Vehicle (HSTDV) in September 2020, and demonstrated its hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology.
