Agni-5 MIRV’s top scientists provide India with next-level deterrence capabilities

New Delhi:

Dr VK Saraswat, former Director General of DRDO and current member of the Science and Technology Committee, said the landmark ballistic weapon system Agni-5 MIRV has taken India’s second-strike capability to a new level, giving it “higher effectiveness, greater Good reach and denser areas”. Technology, NITI Aayog, is deeply involved in its development. The missile, developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization over a decade, made its maiden flight today, placing India in the league of select nations, changing its geopolitical and strategic position and becoming a game-changer in Southeast Asia.

Asked what this weapon would mean for India’s nuclear and missile programmes, Dr Saraswat told New Delhi TV that as a “force multiplier” it would increase the weapon’s “radius of influence”.

The new weapon system is based on Multiple Independent Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) technology, which means that one missile can deploy multiple nuclear warheads and hit targets in different locations simultaneously.

Dr. Saraswat said: “Even using one missile will produce better annihilation effect. In future, the number of missiles required to attack the enemy will be less. This is called a force multiplier.”

He added that it was “a major technology in terms of missile technology, control, guidance, precision.”

The Agni-5 MIRV uses a smaller sized warhead for greater effect. Dr. Saraswat called this an “evolutionary process” in nuclear technology and India was “not to be outdone” in this regard.

The successful test of Agni-5 MIRV this evening was praised by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said he was “proud of our DRDO scientists for carrying out the Divyastra mission”.

PM Modi posted on .”

Indian President Drupadi Murmu said this was “an important milestone in India’s journey towards a greater geostrategic role and capabilities.”

The technology is currently owned by a handful of countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, France and China.