By Rajeev Sharma
India likely conveyed a very pointed statement to the international community, most notably China, with Thursday’s successful launch of its Agni-V Long Range Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. After all, the new ICBM can strike deep into China as well as Eastern Europe. However, a reality check is in order before analysts get too excited.
Though India has demonstrated its technological, scientific and military prowess by successfully launching its 5,000 kilometer range Agni-V missile,at a development cost of $480 million, it won’t be formally inducted into the Indian armed forces before 2016, defense sources have said. While it’s true that the successful launch of Agni-V has in many ways brought India into an elite club of nations that have proven ICBM technology, India still lags far behind China. In terms of the number of missiles, their range and type, India is no match for China and cannot – and should not – expect to match China missile-to-missile.
Read the full story at The Diplomat