Divyastra Mk3 test-fired with fully indigenous jet engine

Lucknow-based defence startup Kawa UAV Pvt. Ltd. (HoverIt) has successfully test-flown the Divyastra Mk3, India's first fully indigenous jet-powered loitering munition, on August 11, 2026, at a testing airstrip in Uttar Pradesh, Business Today reports. The turbojet engine, developed entirely by Indian propulsion company DG Propulsion, met all pre-defined operational parameters during the trial.

The program went from blank-page concept to airborne weapon system in under eight months, starting in early 2026, with no reliance on foreign critical subsystems or imported jet engines, according to the company. HoverIt's co-founders called the test 'a declaration of intent' and an example of Atmanirbhar Bharat in action, placing India among a select group of nations capable of domestically producing jet-powered loitering munitions.