Context

This editorial is based on the news “The MIRV leap that fires up India’s nuclear deterrence” which was published in the Hindu. The Agni 5 ballistic missile test dubbed the “Divyastra”, that was conducted by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is strategically consequential.

Significance of Mission Divyastra & MIRV Technology in Agni 5 Missile

• About Agni 5 Missile
  • It is the longest-range missile India has tested so far and very crucial for India’s nuclear deterrent.
  • Range: over 5,000 kilometres.

• • This variant is integrated with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs).
  • Number of Warheads: The exact number of warheads the Agni-5 can carry remains classified, but speculation suggests it is unlikely to carry more than three due to technical limitations.
  • Yield of Nuclear Warheads: The yield of the nuclear warheads is likely to be limited due to India’s small number of atomic tests.
  • The Agni-5 is expected to be launched from a road mobile platform.

What is MIRV Technology?

• About MIRV Technology: 

  • A multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) is an exo-atmospheric ballistic missile payload containing several warheads, each capable of being aimed to hit a different target.

• MIRV Technology is New to India: 

  • The five designated nuclear weapons states : the United States, Russia, the People’s Republic of China, France and the United Kingdom  already possess MIRV capable projectiles which are integrated into their respective nuclear arsenals.
  • India has joined a very select group of countries to develop an MIRV ballistic missile.

• Complex Technical criteria: 

• • Building MIRV capable ballistic missiles demands technical criteria, including nuclear warhead miniaturisation, lightweight receptacles, precise configuration and separation of re-entry vehicles, and spin stabilisation during atmospheric re-entry.
  • In the recent Agni-5 test, India has met these demanding technical requirements. 

• Significance of MIRV-Tipped Missiles: 

• • Enhanced Lethality: Crucial due to their ability to strike multiple targets simultaneously and bypass ballistic missile defences.
  • Acts as a Deterrent: India’s integration of multiple warheads onto the Agni-5 restores balance in the Sino-Indian nuclear deterrent relationship.
    • Example- China is developing ballistic missile defences like the HQ-19 interceptor, but their effectiveness against IRBMs like India’s Agni-5 is uncertain.

Challenges Met during MIRV Development in India

• Inadequate nuclear testing by New Delhi compromised the extent to which it could miniaturise warheads and MIRV them to strike multiple targets. 
• Lack of sufficient testing undermined the extent to which the re-entry vehicles could be designed to carry the warheads. 
• Efforts of DRDO: The DRDO and all its key associate agencies such as the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) responsible for integrating warheads with missiles and the Advanced Systems Limited (ASL) as this test of the Agni-5 visibly demonstrated, have overcome these challenges. 

Other Projects Ahead

• MIRV Capability targeting China: Chinese missile defence interceptors pose a threat to the Agni-5, potentially subjecting it to mid-course interception.
  • The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), under the Atomic Energy Commission of India, has successfully designed compact nuclear warheads for MIRV capability, specifically targeting China.
• Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM): India is expected to enhance its nuclear arsenal further by testing a long-range Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM), adding more potency to its nuclear deterrence.

Conclusion

India’s successful test of the Agni-5 MIRV missile marks a significant milestone in its journey towards establishing itself as a highly credible nuclear and missile power.