On March 11, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Mission Divyastra, which marked the inaugural maiden flight test of the indigenously developed Agni-5 missile incorporating Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology.
On X (formerly known as Twitter), PM Modi posted: “Proud of our DRDO scientists for Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni 5 missiles with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology.”
Proud of our DRDO scientists for Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 11, 2024
According to VK Saraswat, the former DRDO chief, under Mission Divyastra, the nose cone of the Agni 5 missile has been modified to accommodate mini nukes, micro nukes, and even a large thermonuclear weapon.
The Agni 5 can launch MIRV at 300-400 km above the main target site. Each Vehicle works like a targeted tactical weapon with its own guidance.
The integration of MIRV technology in the Agni 5 missile enables it to hit targets at different locations with high precision and allow it to evade highly sophisticated missile defence systems, thus creating a more credible nuclear deterrent against adversaries.
Agni 5: Pride of India
The Agni 5 is an intercontinental ballistic missile with a strike range of over 5500 km, covering the entire Chinese mainland.
Over the past 12 years, DRDO has conducted several flight tests of the Agni 5 missile, leading to its induction in 2018.
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Last year, DRDO successfully tested the missile with a 20 percent reduced weight by replacing steel components with composite materials. DRDO officials stated that with this test, Agni 5 could potentially achieve a range beyond 7000 km if the government wants.
Mission Divyastra: Agni 5 With MIRV
With the successful flight test of Agni 5 incorporating MIRV technology, India joins the elite club of countries possessing such advanced capabilities. Currently, the US, Russia, China, UK, and France have deployed ICBMs and SLBMs with MIRV capabilities.
Both India and Pakistan are reportedly working on incorporating MIRV technology into their medium-range ballistic missiles, Agni Prime and Ababeel, respectively.
Given that ICBMs travel at extreme hypersonic speeds and warheads can reach speeds of up to Mach 20-25 in the terminal phase, only the US and Russia have limited ability to intercept ICBMs during their mid-course phase.
With Agni 5’s terminal speed of Mach 24 and state-of-the-art MIRV technology, the missile potentially evade highly sophisticated missile defence systems.
A credible nuclear deterrent
Given that India has adopted a “No First Use” policy in its nuclear doctrine, the country requires a credible second-strike capability.
In the event of a nuclear attack, enemy forces primarily target the country’s nuclear storage facilities, potentially disrupting India’s land-based nuclear forces’ ability to conduct retaliation strikes.
With the deployment of Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) interceptors and K-series Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBM), India achieves a second-strike capability in case of an enemy nuclear attack.
Now, with the Agni 5 missile equipped with MIRVs, it allows land-based nuclear forces to strike a large number of targets with even a small number of Agni 5 ICBMs, taking the country’s nuclear deterrence to a new level.
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Conclusion
While developing long-range ballistic missiles is a challenging task in itself, incorporating MIRV technology adds another layer of complexity, making Mission Divyastra a significant achievement for India.
The successful integration of MIRVs into the Agni 5 missile marks a milestone in India’s defence capabilities, enhancing its strategic deterrence with next-level second-strike capability and improved ability to evade adversaries’ missile defence systems.
