Named after the bow of Lord Shiva, the idea of Pinaka was first conceived in 1981, as an answer to the Indian Army's requirement for a long range artillery system.
Initially, the Ministry of Defence approved two confidence building projects and the actual development could only begin in 1986 with a sanctioned project-budget of Rs 26.47 crore.
After it proved its combat capabilities in 1999, a dedicated Pinaka MBRL regiment was raised in February 2000.