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On March 11, 2024, India’s Protection Analysis and Improvement Group (DRDO) examined the nation’s maiden MIRV (a number of independently targetable re-entry automobile) missile utilizing its Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The take a look at was code-named “Mission Divyastra” and was carried out from Dr. Abdul Kalam Island, in Odisha, whereas telemetry and radar stations tracked and monitored a number of re-entry automobiles.
The take a look at displayed the flexibility of India’s strategic forces to load a number of warheads on a single missile, which might then ship the warheads inside enemy territory, evading the latter’s missile protection programs. The missile may carry decoys that may elude countermeasures from the enemy. Furthermore, there’s an financial rationale to the take a look at since MIRV expertise permits a number of warheads to be loaded onto a single, typically very costly, missile – thereby growing lethality at a less expensive value.
Analysts level out that MIRV functionality strengthens India’s nuclear counterstrike capabilities, offers it the flexibility to evade any present and future ballistic missile protection (BMD) programs, and permits India’s strategic forces to substitute accuracy for firepower.
The take a look at demonstrates that India’s nationwide safety institution has efficiently miniaturized nuclear warheads that may be tipped on ICBMs – that is essential to spotlight since restricted testing, together with the 1998 assessments, raised questions on India’s skill to design miniaturized warheads. Different components of the MIRV take a look at should not mentioned as a lot however however present perception into India’s evolving strategic pondering.
First, whereas the MIRV take a look at was designed to showcase India’s second-strike functionality, the flexibility to launch a number of smaller hundreds on a single missile reveals that in case of an assault on India’s CISR (communication, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) satellites by a hostile energy, the DRDO can rapidly launch into orbit miniaturized satellites that may act as India’s eyes within the sky. These satellites may be launched to switch broken satellites and restore essential communication and surveillance networks. The power to offset an enemy’s anti-satellite assaults must be seen in gentle of India’s personal area weapons program that was examined in March 2019.
V. Ok. Saraswat, a former scientific adviser to the protection minister and former director-general of DRDO, mentioned a modified Agni-V might launch mini-satellites. He claimed that the Agni-V might launch satellites into low-earth orbit to revive communication hyperlinks “within the occasion of the nation being denied entry to its satellite tv for pc constellations by the enemy.”
India’s skill to design miniaturized satellites was demonstrated in 2017, when the Indian Area Analysis Group (ISRO) set a world report by inserting into Solar-synchronous orbit 104 satellites in a single mission.
The current MIRV take a look at additionally confirms a poorly saved secret – the army utility of India’s civilian ISRO. The designs of the Agni collection of missiles developed by the DRDO are reportedly based mostly on the ISRO’s satellite tv for pc launch automobiles (SLVs) with the primary iteration of the Agni being based mostly on the ISRO’s SLV-3 with modifications to make sure larger payloads may be fitted on the missiles.
The DRDO is engaged on its satellite tv for pc launch automobiles, based mostly on the ISRO’s SSLV (small satellite tv for pc launch automobile), that may enable all branches of the army to launch satellites. The design of the SSLV will enable satellite tv for pc launches inside a fast turnaround time with minimal infrastructure necessities, that means it may be launched from a multi-axle TEL (transporter erector-launcher) automobile.
Lastly, the militarization of the ISRO is clear with the frequent transfer of officers from the ISRO to the DRDO. For example, Mission Divyastra was formally led by missile skilled R. Sheena Rani who works on the DRDO’s Superior Techniques Laboratory (ASL) in Hyderabad. She was beforehand with the ISRO for eight years on the Vikram Sarabhai Area Heart.
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