By Devindra Sethi
The successful launch of India’s Agni-V missile earlier today helped fulfill a cherished dream propelled by the vision of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1983. Gandhi wanted an Indian Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) to be made totally indigenously, from raw materials at home. The 20-minute flight of the new Agni-V, 80 percent of which was made indigenous parts, therefore heralds a new chapter in India’s strategic posture.
The Agni-V missile, although only an intermediate ballistic missile (IRBC), is in many ways similar to the United States’ Minuteman III. It can deliver a single 1.5 megaton weapon 5,000 kilometers and can carry a single thermonuclear warhead. It’s designed to potentially carry between 3 to 10 warheads at a time, once Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicles are built for it. This missile is canisterised from inception, road-cum-rail mobile, and is totally solid fueled. This enables the missile to be launched from anywhere in Indian territory.
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