In a worrying regional development, India has announced the development of new missiles aimed at striking underground targets.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation is modifying the Agni-V missile. It will allegedly carry a 7,500 kg warhead to penetrate bunkers or underground targets.
The missile aims to hit targets 80 to 100 meters underground. The current Agni-5 has a 5,000 km range with standard warheads.
The development comes after the United States used bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear sites in June. India, in a shortsighted policy, wants to match this capability.
India plans to use missiles for flexibility and lower cost. Two Agni-5 variants are in development. One has an airburst warhead for surface targets.
The other penetrates underground facilities. The warhead weighs eight tonnes. The missile range is 2,500 km.
The missiles may reach speeds between Mach 8 and Mach 20. The missile targets command centers, missile silos, and military infrastructure.
Defence source, while talking to Azaad English, condemned the provocative policy, saying, “India’s move to equip its Agni-5 missile with a colossal 7,500 kg warhead is a reckless provocation that will dangerously destabilize the regional strategic balance and push South Asia towards an unprecedented arms race.”
He further elaborated, “This escalation, spearheaded by the RSS-BJP regime intoxicated with Hindutva militarism, signals New Delhi’s clear intent to shatter existing deterrence frameworks and pursue capabilities designed explicitly for deep underground decapitation strikes.”
It should be noted that developing such warheads poses a serious danger to the stability of South Asia, particularly when India has tried to start a war with Pakistan thrice under the Modi regime.
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