India has issued two separate NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) in the Bay of Bengal, signalling possible high-level defence activity in the region. The first NOTAM has been issued for the period spanning May 18 to May 20. Similarly, the second NOTAM covers the period from May 21 to May 22. The designated range for this activity is 1,000 kilometers.
India Issues Two NOTAMs
Access to the designated zone will be prohibited for all entities, including individuals, aircraft, and maritime vessels, during this period. According to Jagran.com report, preparations for a medium-range missile test have already commenced at Abdul Kalam Island. A specialised team from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is actively involved in the preparations.
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India’s primary missile testing facilities are located at Chandipur and Abdul Kalam Island along the Bay of Bengal coast. While official confirmation is awaited, such NOTAMs are typically issued ahead of strategic missile tests conducted from key defence testing facilities along the eastern coastline.
DRDO Successfully Tests Advanced Agni Missile
Earlier on May 9, India successfully carried out a flight test of an advanced Agni missile equipped with a MIRV (Multiple Independently Targeted Re-entry Vehicle) system from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, located off the coast of Odisha. The DRDO announced the successful flight test, marking a significant advancement in India’s strategic missile capabilities.
In a post on X, DRDO stated that the missile was tested with multiple payloads designed to hit different targets simultaneously. This demonstrated its ability to engage several spatially separated targets across a wide area in the Indian Ocean Region. Telemetry and tracking operations were conducted by several ground-based and ship-based stations.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also lauded the successful flight test of the Agni missile. He stated that the achievement would provide unprecedented strength to the nation's defence preparedness.