The Agni V, particularly when armed with multiple nuclear warheads, has been accused of upsetting the fragile regional balance of power. Will it in fact destabilise the region, or is it merely a cover for some to obfuscate more pressing issues? India tested its nuclear-capable Agni V yesterday. The missile, with a range of over 5,000 kilometres, may eventually have its range enhanced or be equipped with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) technology though there are no signs that either of these was achieved in this morning’s test. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been focusing instead on improving India’s second-strike capability by making its missiles faster, more agile, and road mobile (survivable). India’s latest missile, with its significant range increase over its predecessors, is seen as a China-centric missile and likely to be deployed after a few more trials only by 2017.
Posted on: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 12:00:39 +0000