TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
THE CONTEXT: The recent test of Agni V ballistic missile with MIRV technology by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under ‘Mission Divyastra’ places India among a select group of nations possessing this advanced technology.
EXPLANATION:
- Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology signifies a significant leap in missile capability, enabling a single missile to carry multiple nuclear warheads capable of hitting different targets.
- The United States pioneered MIRV technology in the 1970s with deployments of MIRV-ed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) like Minuteman III and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) like Poseidon.
- The Soviet Union followed suit, developing its own MIRV-ed missiles. Presently, countries like Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China also possess MIRV technology, with China expanding and modernizing its nuclear arsenal rapidly.
Significance of MIRVs
- MIRVs serve as force multipliers, enabling a single missile to strike multiple targets, which is particularly crucial for submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs).
- This technology enhances the redundancy of nuclear forces and aids in saturating and penetrating ballistic missile defenses, providing strategic advantages in deterrence and defense capabilities.
Mission Divyastra Test
- India’s successful test of Agni V with MIRV technology signifies a significant milestone in its defense capabilities.
- The test launch was conducted under the banner of Mission Divyastra, aptly named the “divine weapon.”
- This mission underscores the technological prowess and scientific achievement of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- Mission Divyastra refers to the first flight test of the indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology.
- This achievement marks a significant step forward in India’s strategic punitive capability, as a single missile can now deploy multiple warheads at different locations or at the same location with a time gap.
- The Agni-5 missile, which can carry nuclear warheads and hit targets over 5,000 km away, is aimed at bolstering deterrence against countries like China.
- The MIRV technology is complex, requiring a delicate combination of large missiles, small warheads, accurate guidance, and a complex mechanism for releasing warheads sequentially during flight.
- India’s successful development of MIRV technology positions the country among a select group of nations with this capability.
Strategic Implications
- India’s ‘Agni’ series of missiles, particularly Agni V, forms the cornerstone of its nuclear weapons delivery system.
- With a range exceeding 5,000 km, Agni V can target most regions of China, bolstering India’s deterrence posture.
- MIRV technology enhances India’s strategic flexibility and capability to counter evolving threats, including sophisticated air defenses deployed by adversaries.
Policy Context and Future Outlook
- The successful test of MIRV technology comes against the backdrop of India’s nuclear doctrine, emphasizing ‘no first use’ (NFU) policy and maintaining a minimum credible deterrence.
- India’s completion of the nuclear triad, comprising aircraft, missiles, and submarines, further strengthens its deterrence capabilities.
- However, additional tests are required to validate various components and processes before MIRV-ed Agni V can enter serial production.
Regional Dynamics
- The development of MIRV technology is likely to impact regional dynamics, particularly with regards to India’s relationships with China and Pakistan.
- India’s strategic advancements are expected to prompt reactions from its neighbors, with implications for regional stability and security.
Agni-5 Ballistic Missile:
- Agni-5 is an ingeniously built advanced surface-to-surface ballistic missile developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
- It is a fire-and-forget missile, which cannot be stopped without an interceptor missile.
- The missile has the capability of hitting targets beyond the range of 5000 km and is crucial for India’s self-defense systems.
Agni Missiles:
- The Agni missile class is the backbone of India’s nuclear launch capability, as are Prithvi short-range ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and fighter aircraft.
- Agni-1 to 5 missiles are designed & developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- Other Ranges of Agni Missiles:
- Agni I: Range of 700-800 km.
- Agni II: Range more than 2000 km.
- Agni III: Range of more than 2,500 Km
- Agni IV: Range is more than 3,500 km and can fire from a road mobile launcher.
- Agni-V: The longest of the Agni series, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range of over 5,000 km.