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India successfully test-fires Agni V ICBM
Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully test-fired its 5,000+ km Agni V intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on 26 December, 2016.
As per an official press release, the Agni V test was carried out from the Dr. Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.
DRDO noted that the missile test, which was deemed successful, “further boosted the indigenous missile capabilities and deterrence level of the country.”
Speaking to Defense News, retired Indian Army officer Brigadier Rahul Bhonsle stated: “Agni-V will be the last link in the chain of land-based deterrence vis a vis China as at present India cannot pose a viable threat to major Chinese counter value targets such as large cities.”
With the Agni V’s formal introduction, India is no among a handful countries (i.e. the U.S., Russia, France, the U.K, and China) to field ICBMs. As per the Economic Times, the Agni V has a range of 5,500-5,800 km and is capable of carrying a 1,500 kg high-explosive warhead (and, alternatively, a nuclear warhead).
The Agni V also utilizes a vastly improved inertial navigation system (INS) comprising of a micro-navigation system (MINS), enabling the missile to precisely engage its targets, even without support from an external guidance system, such as satellite navigation.
Notes & Comments:
In its official response to the tests, Beijing has opted to downplay media reports purporting its concerns, and instead, seems to have taken the Agni V for what it is – an eventuality. India’s longstanding research and development investment in rocket technology, which is plainly evident in its space program, meant that the procurement of an ICBM was a matter of time. Granted, this is the Agni V’s fourth test, the first took place in April 2012.
23 Comments
by Steve
I think Western and also Far East countries should be worried about this development. This is not a deployed weapon yet and may not be for a long time, but it is capabilities that should be a concern not intentions, as intentions can change. India may be in a position in 10 years to threaten Diego Garcia and continental Europe, China, Japan and Australia. They are a revisionist power with historical grievances against the West and others. That’s something to think about.
by Headstrong
Historical grievances? There is only one country in this region which harbours grudges and seeks ‘revenge’. And this country and its people are the only ones who are revisionist by nature. India is (notoriously) status quoish. Which is why, other than the aforementioned country and its boss, no other country feels threatened. It is also well known why India feels the need to develop missiles of this range. Maybe the self proclaimed ‘boss’ of the region will think twice before attempting its bullying tactics on India
by Steve
Again a bit of generalisation but that’s needed I’m afraid. Indian media and internet are full of private sometimes hidden anger and resentments towards the British for colonial rule even though you suck up to them when you see them. Same for Australia when some takeaway food shop Indian fake students got beaten up. Your fora and politicians routinely curse and privately express anger against Americans and Russians when they try to improve relations with Pakistan. You routinely boast of Agni being able to take out Arab countries or China. You seek revenge for 1000 years of Muslim and Mughal rule, though Agni V is irrelevant for Pakistan. You have threatened and have had problems with all your neighbours. The list goes on and on. My opinion stands. India wants it be “great” at the expense of others, akhand bharat and all that. Other countries should take serious note that India is not at all benign as they pretend to be. Like I said its capabilities that cause worry not professed intentions as Indians are overtly notorious flatterers and doormats.
by Steve
India is a eventual threat to the West. The sooner they realise it the better. We know the Indian mentality better than anyone. That’s the point of my post not space exploration. Can you not understand?
by MT
when was the last time, Indian minsiter issued any nuclear threat to any country in the world??
India is no threat to west but it will never act as puppet & will conitnue to serve its self interest. India doesnt have military confrontation with any western nations. Economics and other issues are resolved by common interest. India is current second largest investor in UK with Indian companies gross revenue as more than 60 bill $ in 2015/16 with around 100,000 british workers.
India is already adding maximum growth rate in natural resources consumption such as oil,coal,steel
Indian companies made/assembled 200 million phones in 2015/16.
with India going digital and stability coming to economy post demonetization helping raise taxes and banking sector: india is poised to grow at 7/8% for 2 decades
Japan,US,UK,France,Russia are all major allies of India.
1. Japan is providing India with 100/150 bill$ 0% loan to India
=> The loan money is only used to buy 30%japanese technology, 40+% of the money is spent on Indian local machineries and technology
Eg. Japan helped India build metro train technology. They have finallly started making metro engines too in india
Japan is building 1 industrial corridor in india at investment of 100 bill$. 30% of the work is already completed. It included dedicated freight corridor from Mumbai to Delhi.
Japan will make 40% bullet train technology from indian raw materials providing work/IP to indian companies in manufacturing
US is already manufacturing most of stuffs in india. GE have yearly revenue of 20 bill$ from India. They manufacture even the x ray machines & sophisticated health care hardwares in india
Apple have plannned to manufacture Iphone in india with Foxconn(taiwanese company)
Source: Apple is setting up an iPhone production facility in Bengaluru, plans to start assembly of phones by April
=>Bangalore is the only city in India,china to rank in top 20 innovative cities. It is hub of IBM,Google,Mirosoft Research labs and data centers
To conclude: Rise of Indian economy will be helpful to western countries, russia and china as Indian middle class grow from 400 million to 700 million in next 10 yrs. India is social welfare state.
90% of Indian dont know the Army chief name of India
So I doubt if your argument have any takers in west
by MT
http://tech.firstpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Startup-growth-stats.jpg
by Headstrong
Wow you people have some really deep complexes, don’t you? MT’s reply to you is articulated well enough so, suffice to say, I can only urge you lot to stop being taken in by the likes of Javed Hassan, Zaid Hamid etc who’ve drilled into you some Ghazva-e-Hind delusions to compensate you for the loss of your 1000 year old ‘reign’. You people will remain the type with arms outstretched in search of a sugar daddy. And for those interested enough in your ‘geopolitical importance’, you people are more than ready to prostrate yourself. Akhand Bharat? Most Indians don’t want to touch you people with a barge pole. Thank God for Jinnah! You people will remain a frustrated lot, foaming at the mouth when you hear something done across the border. India certainly has a lot to do – in every conceivable field. But at least it’s not as debased as you people are.
by Headstrong
Well said. However, all this just feeds into the paranoia these people live on. What passes for literature in their country continually reinforces a siege mentality – one that seeks to perpetuate the view that India seeks regional hegemony and that it poses an existential threat. Initiated by their Army, which positioned itself as the keeper and protector of a warped ideology, the concept has been successfully transmitted to what passes off as intelligentsia in that country so that the sheeple dutifully parrot the party line. This is a country which can’t progress on its own. Not without generous support from abroad. Yet it remains obsessed with blocking progress in its neighbourhood. Not for nothing is their flag predominantly green – envy seems to be built into their natural character
by Steve
I have nothing to do with the clowns you mention. They are difficult to understand and are good only for light entertainment. Please let’s have clarity. The issue being considered is that is India dangerous for the rest of the world? Once it has the means to destroy a large part of the world with ICBM’s the conclusion has to be, YES it is. Protestations of being benign and peaceful notwithstanding. Who would be happy with a Third World country getting the means to destroy a large part of the First World, especially since India wants to spread influence into others’ spheres. America has interests in the Indian Ocean. Are you suggesting they will be completely unaffected by India becoming what you want it to become, and make the Indian Ocean your private lake? I am pleased you have publicly debunked Akhand Bharat. It’s good to know some people across the border see sense.
by Steve
It’s the capability that’s the source of worry, not business deals or professed intentions, as those can change virutally overnight. China has massive Western investments and collaboration, a lot more than Mr MT and Headstring are boasting about, and yet the West is not comfortable with China. If India wants to keep the West sweet, it may do well by limiting the range of its missiles, and not producing thermonuclear weapons. That’s making people in the West uncomfortable. There is not such thing as a ‘peaceful’ rise, as there is no ‘peaceful’ nuclear explosion like the infamous ‘Smiling Buddha’, and we all know where that led! I can see my arguments are making a mark by their emotive descent into disengenious remarks about Pakistan’s intelligentsia ;). As if only Indians can understand issues, think clearly, and debate articulately.
by Headstrong
Thank you for advocating ‘clarity’. Please bear that in mind next time you bring up Akhand Bharat. We have our nutcases, you have yours. But it seems you love to generalise, as you put it yourself.
The capability that India seeks is only to counter what other, inimical countries have for decades. One particular country was (and is) Third World, its economic progress notwithstanding, when it developed its nuclear capabilities. Too bad it had to come to this pass. India had advocated making the world nuclear weapon free for long. Rajiv Gandhi had even tabled a very plausible plan at the UN for phasing out the nukes. The big powers turned it down. Too bad – India too has to secure an insurance policy against a traditionally hostile neighbour.
You would have noted the muted response to the Agni test. That’s because most of the world (and all of the First World) do not consider India a threat. Yes, the future is something else – but as John Keynes said ‘In the long run, we’re all dead’
by MT
For the same reason, Mr brainy;range of agni V is not more than 5500 Km
India is not planning to work on any Surya missile which has range >8000Km
MIRV Agni V aka Agni VI is priority. SLBM version of Agni V and MIRV versions are urgent requirements
Chinese enjoyed massive western investment but spurious trade/biased practices in favour of chinese companies were discriminatory against western investors
Same is not true about India where Google,Microsoft and almost every fortune 500 companies have based their second HQ outside US
They trust Indian laws,indian workers and indian respect for IPR rights.
India is secular democracy which puts it into western allies group many notch above chinese
India is much bigger soft power country than china. Our media and film industry play major role in our soft power projection
by MT
Its sense of paranoia in pakistan which force it to remain security state. Such is supremacy of civilian govt in india is that
95% of Indian dont know know name of their army chief. India badly lacks unified military doctrine & chief of defence staff. This is important under given rising chinese belligerent attitude in asia
India dont make policies keeping pak in mind. We have bigger fish to fry with more serious economic concerns for our welfare state
We have explained it time and again that range of Agni V and Agni V MIRV is less than 5500 KM which puts India at peace with major western allies
I dont know 1 time or 1 comment from indian media,govt or press which boast of India attacking any first world
India is a benevolent soft power state . Nuclear assets are only deterrent as we are home to 16% of world population. Its also prerogative of world to include one sixth of humanity on UNSC permanent council.
Our focus is economy and we will continue to work with every nation in west, east to achieve that objective. With sound economy,we can develop a strong military industry so that no invaders can ever dare destroy our civilisation
US is major partner with India.We have converging interest to safeguard our interest in Indian ocean(an ocean derived from Indian name) without hurting sovereignty of any nation in the region. Most of Indian ocean states are in conformation with India on IOR policies
Not even the most right winger wants akhand bharat. India returned 15000 SQKM land in west pakistan in 1972 including the most strategic locations as it wanted peace to prevail in south asia
But our neighbour is not interested and continue to behave as an expansionist regime which cant be tolerated by this current govt
by Headstrong
Talk about putting words into others’ mouths! Whatever gets you through the night. Best of luck in the new year. You’re going to need it
by Headstrong
So you have no answers other than to keep repeating the same old balderdash. I wondered when you would use the ‘rape’ card. And on cue….
‘Steve’, spin it anyway you like. India is more at peace with its neighbors and is certainly far better regarded the world over than you people as well as your sugar daddy next door. Keep whining away though ?
by Steve
I’ve made my points clear and the discussion is over. You guys have even exposed as disingenuous and dangerous. You are now just repeating typical well known Indian positions and trying to get back some credibility. Further writing is going to get you nowhere, so I suggest you just chill and have a glass of cold water.
by Steve
There is no ‘card’, it’s bitter reality, trying to minimise the impact by mislabelling will fail. Our only enemy in the whole world is India and we say it openly. We have concluded the discussion yesterday and you are now just trying to claw back some credibility. Not interested anymore
by Headstrong
Ok ‘Steve’. May I in turn suggest you have a long good look at yourself in the mirror. Every single issue you have raised is applicable to you people, in far far larger scale. Your arguments have ‘exposed’ zero, far less given your credibility.
India knows exactly who feels threatened by Agni V, which is well reflected by the reactions.
May I further suggest that you people need some new lines, now that nobody buys your stale old ones.
by fapple fapple
My friend, you have done very well in arguing in support of the factual and logical reality; however, a sane and like-minded individual must never underestimate the stupidity of fascism and its negative influence on its people which is evidenced by these ?????? and ????????? mild Indians in the comments section. At first there vigorous efforts to simulate basic intelligence almost fooled us to think that their media had not brainwashed them completely. Unfortunately for them but fortunately for us, it has become apparent that they follow the tradition of their great Modi ‘Sahib’ and his line of nationalist (dare I say) politicians. I suggest leaving them to enjoy their temporary Svarga.
by fapple fapple
My friend, you have done very well in arguing in support of the factual and logical reality; however, a sane and like-minded individual must never underestimate the stupidity of fascism and its negative influence on its people. Unfortunately for them but fortunately for us, it has become apparent that they follow the tradition of their great Modi ‘Sahib’ and his line of nationalist (dare I say) politicians. I suggest leaving them to enjoy their temporary Svarga.
by MT
Except their sugar daddy not a single country have given any negative comments on Agni test
Steve is not concerned abt Agni but he envies India success. Failure of pak missile r&d is reflected after shunting of suparco; nescom is only good in assembling cheeni missile subsystem after they are designed/developed in China while India is developing them in-house.
The recent sanction against Pakistani companies esp Nescom confirm the ongoing illegal trade going on directly more so indirectly undercover of shell companies to import their so called indigenous Babur, Shaheen.
I asked the respected moderator to name those indigenous subsystem used in Babur/, Shaheen/raad & I couldn’t find out any things apart from air frames
by Steve
Let me factually summarise in a neutral ‘new’ way to make it easy for you to understand, so this tiresome hyperventilating and mudslinging can stop:
Pakistan is not making ICBM and HYDROGEN bombs. India is, and will imminently have them…
India says it is nice and kind and won’t blow up an American, European, Australian, Chinese, Russian or Japanese city…never ever, not even in 50 years, and all this capability is just for show…
Well maybe they believe India…for now. Good luck to them…
No more comments I’m fed up lol
by GhalibKabir
What upset Beijing apparently was the trajectory of the Agni IV as this (as per Chinese sources) indicated evolving Indian ASAT ability. of course the move towards MIRV/MaRVing of the Agni V/VI has also not gone down well… anyway me thinks China is just making a song and dance as it has nothing to worry about in real terms. (at least not till Indian Navy and Air arm can effectively counter Chinese CBGs and SSNs)