What was mysterious 'comet' seen over India, Bangladesh?
What's the story
On May 8, a bright comet-like object with a long orange-white tail lit up the sky over Odisha, India. The sight was so spectacular that it was visible as far as Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, as per India Today. The event took place between 6:30pm and 7:30pm IST when India launched a missile from its Integrated Test Range at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Chandipur.
Launch details
Videos confirmed missile launch
The missile launch was confirmed by videos that circulated on social media. The glowing contrail was a result of the missile's exhaust plume catching the last sunlight against the darkening sky. This event is separate from a previous test on May 1, when India successfully tested a Long-Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile.
Corridor size
NOTAM issued for vast airspace corridor
Before the May 8 launch, Indian authorities issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) for a large airspace corridor of around 3,560km over the Bay of Bengal. This is more than double the size of the exclusion zone declared for the May 1 test. Such vast corridors are usually associated with longer-range systems, raising speculation about what was tested on May 8.
Unidentified missile
DRDO yet to identify what was tested
Despite the launch, neither the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) nor the Ministry of Defence has officially identified what was tested on May 8. India usually announces conventional defense trials but remains silent on sensitive strategic tests. However, it is confirmed that a real launch took place from Chandipur and all footage circulating online is authentic.
Twitter Post
Videos and images of unknown missile test
BREAKING: Reports of an unknown missile test off the coast of Odisha. pic.twitter.com/JFqxxklJei
— India Observer (@indiaobserver13) May 8, 2026