DRDO Tests Indigenous Military Combat Parachute System Successfully at 32,000 Feet
In a major step towards defence indigenisation, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested the Military Combat Parachute System (MCPS) at 32,000 feet. The Indian Air Force test jumpers conducted the combat freefall jump, a major milestone for India in designing and manufacturing high-altitude parachute systems indigenously.
The MCPS is an entirely indigenous product of two DRDO labs — the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, and the Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory (DEBEL), Bengaluru. It is the sole parachute system in operational service with the Indian Armed Forces that can be safely deployed at heights above 25,000 feet.
Designed for contemporary tactical missions, the system has a low rate of descent, improved steering control, and better navigational accuracy. The features allow paratroopers to leave the aircraft in safety, deploy parachutes at predetermined altitudes, and guide themselves to assigned landing zones.
One of the significant technological strengths of the MCPS is its interoperability with the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC), which would provide unblemished operational independence. This renders it immune to external interference, denial-of-service attacks, or dependency on a foreign navigation system.
The successful trial of this system marks a significant step in India's mission to indigenize air-borne delivery technologies. With reduced maintenance turnaround time and easy service procedures in comparison with imported systems, the MCPS is set to provide greater operational efficiency and sustainability over its service life. Notably, it also cuts down on dependence on overseas suppliers, thereby maintaining readiness and reliability even during crucial wartime situations.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh praised DRDO, the Armed Forces, and the Indian defence industry for the feat, terming it a "remarkable milestone in India's indigenous defence capability."
Dr Samir V. Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, also praised the team, terming the achievement as a major step towards attaining self-reliance in aerial delivery systems.
With the success of the Military Combat Parachute System, India has once again asserted its increasing capability to develop and deploy next-generation defence technology — a step towards the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence production.
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