India boasts of an excellent non-proliferation record and that it has engaged intermittently with the international community on such issues, the US had openly endorsed India's ICBM development ambitions since it stood in dark contrast to states racing to acquire advanced ballistic missile technologies harmful to US interests. The lack of US condemnation of India's missile test demonstrates that the US is comfortable with the Indian program in the nuclear and missile fields and appreciates India's need to meet the emerging strategic challenge posed by rising China. Besides, it is also entirely imperative that India breaks away out of the regional context as the country's sphere of influence is growing and it needs the capability to match its sphere of global influence.
The Government of India had not considered the development of an ICBM with a range of 10,000 km or more. However, speculations of an ongoing program for a longer range ICBM resurfaced in 2011. Some reports since the late 1990s claimed that the ICBM is already code named "Surya". It is also known that the government had not given serious weight to the necessity for an ICBM. Since India is not a signatory to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Indian missile program is not limited by any treaty commitment to cap the development of long range ICBM. There have been also occasional hypothesis that, despite India being a non-signatory to MTCR, there is a voluntary moratorium on developing missiles beyond the range of 5,000 km probably owing to US & NATO pressure.
The important AGNI-VI Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) which is expected to feature Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicles (MIRV) capabilities has not been approved by the government. The scams & policy paralysis stricken erstwhile UPA government dillydallied its approval which was one among the many it procrastinated with regard to projects of national security & importance.
Despite this impediment DRDO has decided on the missile specifications and enhanced capabilities and proceeding as per plan, once the ongoing Agni-V program concludes DRDO is confident that the present dispensation will sanction the program and allocate funds. In addition, there has been considerable speculation worldwide about this futuristic cutting-edge missile development program after the clinical success of the AGNI-V.
Agni-VI will be a three-stage, solid fuel ICBM which will carry a massive three-tonne warhead, thrice the weight of current Agni missiles have carried so far. This will enable the missile to launch multiple nuclear warheads with each warhead striking a different target alternatively, separated by hundreds of kilometers, two or more warheads can be assigned to one target and can perform evasive maneuvers while hurtling down towards its target, confusing enemy air defence systems that will try to intercept them mid-air. MIRVs ensure a credible second strike capability even with few missiles.
DRDO technicians in Hyderabad integrating AGNI Missiles
Technological Challenges
Multiple Warhead Technology
DRDO is at an advanced stage of integrating warhead technologies, but one notable challenge is building a booster rocket that can propel a three-tonne payload to targets 10,000 kilometres away. The payload weight is comparably more than what a GSLV can launch. The missile should be able to deploy decoys and chaffs to evade air defense systems.
Weapons Delivery
Analyzing a ballistic trajectory is a simple physics problem, but there is big difference betweem analysis and implementation. Recording the necessary data, rapidly analyzing it, combined with ever changing variables, to determine the precise moment to release a warhead so that it hits a specific target 8-10 thousand miles away, is not a simple task. Therefore, dispersing nuclear warheads is another major technological challenge.
Miniaturization
Miniaturization of nuclear and thermonuclear weapons as has been obtained to fit the nose cone spatial shape of Agni-VI missile.
Support Structures
The building blocks from boosters to radars, seekers and sophisticated mission control centers are currently available. DRDO had been able to develop key Radio Frequency seeker technologies for missiles, it has since indigenously perfected this technology, and digital processing during the missile's boost, mid-course and terminal phase is based on DRDO’s own software.
Mobility
Agni-VI must be compact and road mobile, this can be achieved by building the first stage with composites , which is expected to weigh around 40-tons. This is a technical challenge but DRDO has the capability in lightweight composites. The road mobile Agni-VI would also have stringent limits on its length since it must be carried on a standard size trailer that can move from one part of the country to another, turn on narrow roads, cross bridges and climb heights. As the payload weight increases, it will require more advanced technologies to keep the missile's length to technically acceptable limits.
Harnessing maximum performance from smaller rockets also becomes especially important in submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) version, which cannot be no longer than 13 metres so as to fit into the cramped confines of a submarines. This holds true to even the K-4 "Sagarika" SLBM for the country's Arihant-Class, Chakra-Class Nuclear-Propelled ballistic missile attack submarines (SSBNs).
Conclusion
Until April 2012, the existence of an ICBM program was unclear and was never officially acknowledged by the DRDO. However, in the DRDO newsletter of May 2011, while describing the achievements of a recently promoted scientist, it revealed that he headed a program code named A6, which will be an ICBM with a range in between 6,000-10,000 km and like some versions of its precursor Agni V, it will be capable of underwater launch with MIRV.
“ Chief Controller R&D (Missiles and Strategic Systems)
Shri Avinash Chander, Distinguished Scientist, Programme Director, SFD and Director, Advanced Systems Laboratory has been appointed as Chief Controller R&D (Missiles and Strategic Systems) wef 3 May 2011. He is an eminent scientist in the field of Missiles and is the Chief Designer of Long-range missile system, with specific contribution in Agni programme management, mission design, guidance, navigation, simulation and terminal guidance. He has unique achievement of delivering and deploying three long-range Agni missile weapon systems viz, A1, A2 and A3.
It is evident from history that there exists a close concurrence between a space and a missile program as was the case with both Soviet Union and America, China and India have also pursued the same path. The interchangeability of several technologies between the two entities suit there sustained development, but the more pronounced beneficiary is undeniably the missile programs. Though the Indian missile program has matured to world-class levels it is mastering some of the aforementioned technologies that will make MIRV integration as a holistic system.
