India’s Ministry of Defence has approved the induction of the Nag Mk 2 missile system, marking a major step forward in the country’s anti-armor capabilities. The decision enhances India’s defense self-reliance and strengthens readiness amid ongoing tensions with China and Pakistan.
In a Press Information Bureau note dated 23 October 2025, the MoD confirmed the Defence Acquisition Council’s Acceptance of Necessity for the Nag Missile System (Tracked) Mk-II, clearing the path for induction of the upgraded anti-tank complex. Prior to the announcement, The Economic Times reported the Army’s plan to acquire 2,408 Nag Mk 2 missiles paired with 107 NAMICA 2 tracked carriers, establishing unit-level inventories across strike and pivot formations. The system is fully indigenous, with Bharat Dynamics Limited as the prime missile producer.
At the core of the package is the Nag Mk 2, a third-generation fire-and-forget weapon validated at Pokhran in January 2025 through multiple firings at minimum and maximum ranges. Trials also assessed the new NAMICA carrier, with the MoD declaring the system ready for induction. The land-launched Nag features an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker, top-attack logic, and a tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead capable of defeating reactive armor. The baseline land variant’s range spans approximately 500 meters to 4 kilometers, with Mk 2 incorporating user-driven enhancements.
The IIR seeker, combined with a digital image processor, locks onto targets before launch and follows its own path without external guidance, minimizing crew exposure. The tandem HEAT warhead is designed to defeat modern Chinese and Pakistani armor upgrades. Bharat Dynamics reports that the land-based Nag weighs 42 kg, has a 150 mm diameter, travels at 220–230 m/s, and operates day or night in all weather conditions.
NAMICA 2, the tracked launch vehicle, is built on the Indian BMP-2 Sarath chassis and features a retractable armored launcher for multiple canistered missiles, thermal imagers, a laser rangefinder, and an auxiliary power unit providing silent watch and full NBC protection. The Mk 2 carrier has upgraded fire control and launcher layout, enabling faster salvo employment and better commander-gunner coordination. Amphibious mobility and low ground pressure make the system operationally flexible across varied terrain from canal belts in Punjab to desert sectors in Rajasthan.
Nag Mk 2 and NAMICA 2 provide mechanized battalions with extended overwatch, outranging legacy gun-launched HEAT systems and enabling top-attack shots against turret roofs and engine decks. Fire-and-forget guidance simplifies simultaneous multi-target engagements, while the tracked carrier can move with tanks or operate from hull-down positions, displacing before counter-fire. Pokhran test results demonstrate reliable performance in high-temperature desert conditions.
Despite episodic disengagements following the 2020 Ladakh crisis, India and China maintain heavy forward deployments along the Line of Actual Control, while Pakistan continues to field Chinese VT-4 and Al-Khalid tanks. A large, indigenous order reduces acquisition risk, secures domestic production lines, and deepens expertise at Bharat Dynamics and partner yards under Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Nag Mk 2 and NAMICA 2 thus serve not only as new equipment but as industrial and deterrent instruments aligned to the threats India faces.
