March 11 was a red letter day for India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as it conducted first successful flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-Entry Vehicle ( MIRV) technology as reported by the Ministry of Defence.
The flight test named Mission Divyastra was carried out from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha. Various Telemetry and radar stations tracked and monitored multiple re-entry vehicles. The Mission accomplished the designed parameters.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi lauded the efforts of the DRDO scientists who participated in the conduct of the complex Mission. In a post on social media platform X He said, “Proud of our DRDO scientists for Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology.”
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has also congratulated the scientists and the entire team, terming it as an exceptional success.
Signaling Strengthening of Deterrence
The test is significant in several ways, firstly it strengthens India’s deterrence vis a vis China as the range covers the entire Mainland.
Secondly the MIRV can provide several targeting options with one missile and beats the missile defence system in that having fired several missiles there is hope that at least some would reach the target.
Thirdly the entire programme is indigenous and driven by a women scientist director, thus the DRDO has demonstrated the Atma Nirbhar factor as well.
That the missile was launched even as China’s National People’s Congress is culminating would have send a message to Beijing.
On the domestic front this is a statement coming just as general elections are to be announced sending a strong message to the domestic audience of the Modi government’s security first approach.
China Watching
China aware of the test given the declarations of NOTAM or notifications for shipping, two research vessels were deployed in the vicinity. The first one was already anchored off Maldives, and the second in the Bay of Bengal. Xiang Yang Hong 01 was observed off India's eastern coast over the weekend, according to a Reuters report while Xiang Yang Hong 03 - is docked at a port in the Maldives.
Options for Agni V
Agni V denotes a strong deterrence posture vis a vis China. Given that the two – India and China are committed to No First Use of nuclear weapons, actual employment of the long range strategic ballistic missile may be under exceptional circumstances.
With the two countries continuing in the territorial dispute trap over Arunachal Pradesh and Eastern Ladakh though the latter is over smaller area, creating a strategic deterrence assumed importance for India even as China has a series of long range ICBMs at its disposal given the concerns Beijing has with the United States.
Usability of long range ICBMs is not an issue as much as deterrence capability, not withstanding the NFU which is intent which can change with circumstances.