Introduction:
Mission Divyastra: On March 11, 2024, India successfully test-fired the Agni-5 missile equipped with MIRV. This technology makes India one of only a few countries with such a weapon and drastically changes the strategic landscape. Here’s what MIRV is and how Agni-5 MIRV impacts the overall situation:
Understanding MIRV: The Multiplier Effect
The term MIRV stands for Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle. By the most straightforward definition, the Agni-5 MIRV practice is to load a single missile head with many nuclear warheads, each of which can be directed to a separate objective. The notion seems exceptional because typical ballistic cruises carry only one head. Consider having an arty with one bolt against an archer with various bolts, each hitting various bullseyes. Such is the intensification of MIRV technology, turning it into the best atomic shield of the orb. Many warheads are not all a MIRV is offering. Re-entry vehicles containing a nuclear head are distributed from the base body of the missile during high-altitude re-entry. The re-entry vehicles utilize separate thruster hordes or aeronautical docking to travel and reach their target sites accurately. They become challenging to hit by adversary missile defenses. This is measured in multiple re-entry motorized vehicles.
Agni-5 MIRV: A Technology Developed
Image Credit: Source
Agni-5 MIRV is a technology developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation. Agni-5 is an intercontinental ballistic missile with a range greater than 5,000 km. Two critical areas of technological development see progress in the successful MIRV integration: miniaturization. MIRV payloads require significant miniaturization of nuclear warheads to fit multiple warheads in a single missile. This achievement demonstrates progress in nuclear weapon design comfort with the material necessary to develop them; and precision guidance. Sophisticated guidance is required to use MIRVs as the miniaturization process may limit or complicate multiple-warhead guidance. This successful test indicates India’s capability to develop and understand complex electronics and navigation necessary for missile guidance.
Beyond Deterrence: Military Applications of Agni-5 MIRV
- Since Agni-5 MIRV has so many different kinds The following are the results of deterrence:
- Overwhelming Enemy Defenses: With MIRV, it is possible to have saturation attacks. Quite a few enemy targets can be hit simultaneously, such as radars, missile launchers, command posts, and so on. This can have the effect of overwhelming the defenses of an entire area.
- Penetrating Advanced Missile Defense Systems: Modern missile defense systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated. With MIRV, which totes multiple warheads, there is a higher chance that at least one warhead may breach enemy defenses and strike at its target.
- Second-Strike Capability: If attacked by a nuclear-armed enemy, a nation with second-strike capability can survive. A robust second-strike capability means that should an enemy fire a surprise nuclear strike, the victim country can respond with overwhelming force. Agni-5 MIRV enhances India’s second-strike capability by making its nuclear arsenal less vulnerable to a preemptive strike.
Strategic Repercussions: A Cause for Regional Tensions?
To conclude, the use of Agni-5 MIRV certainly empowers India in comparison to its neighbors. However, it provokes a South Asian regional security dilemma, as Pakistan extensively relies on nuclear weapons as well. MIRV scholars demonstrate that the introduction of this technology will make Pakistan, weakened due to the lack of resources, and race with India to create a more destructive weapon. In total, even the accidental escalation is more likely.
The Global Context: Impact on Nuclear Non-Proliferation
The enhanced destructive capability facilitated by MIRVs complicates the nuclear proliferation debate. The Non-Proliferation Treaty is designed to curb the spread of nuclear weapons. The issue is that the development of MIRVs by current nuclear powers undermines the principles of the treaty and prevents non-nuclear members from signing it.
The Road Ahead: A Call for Dialogue and Disarmament
The testing of Agni-5 MIRV further reinforces India’s deterrence posture. Nevertheless, it is important to recall that real security is achieved through dialogue and disarmament. Therefore, India’s launch could be used as an occasion to re-initiate the process of nuclear arms control in terms of both South Asian and global levels. The following directions may be discussed:
Confidence-building measures: Open communication between nuclear nations can reduce mutual misunderstandings and miscalculations that might lead to accidental nuclear war. This component could refer to the exchange of nuclear doctrine, military exercises, and missile testing timetables.
* Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty. This treaty would outlaw fissile material production for nuclear weapons.
The Human Force Behind Agni-5 MIRV: A Team Effort
It was not a single person who accomplished the successful development of Agni-5 MIRV. Instead, it was the result of the long-time persistent work of a team of scientists and engineers in the Defence Research and Development Organisation. As a
n independent researchers’ names are not generally acknowledged in the interests of security, there are some recognized scientists:
Dr. Sheena Rani: The “Divya Putri” of Agni
One of the big figures in Agni missile manufacturer great fame divine daughter, Dr. Sheena Rani is widely known. Since joining DRDO in 1999, she has been very effective in computer science, electronics, and communication engineering. Her leadership was generally responsible for the Agni-5 MIRV project. Particular instances include the integration of complex guidance systems that allow for precise targeting of multiple warheads[1].
Dr. V. K. Saraswat: A Guiding Force in Missile Development
Dr V.K. Saraswat, an ex-DRDO director-general and now a member of Science & Technology at India’s National Institute for Transforming India Aayog, has been deeply involved in Indian missile programs for decades. He played a significant role in shepherding the Agni-5 MIRV program, which he labeled a “game changer.
A Legacy of Visionaries: Building on the Past
Without the efforts of those who went before, Agni-5 MIRV would not have succeeded Visionaries such as Dr. A.P.J.Kalam, known to many as the “Missile Man of India”, had a hand in all stages of India’s missile development programs. It was Dr Kalam’s leadership and example that enabled advancements during his tenure to produce the breakthrough in MIRV technology.
Looking Ahead: A Call for Continued Collaboration
Agni-5 MIRV is not a story of a person. Agni-5 MIRV is the story of thousands of engineers and scientists at DRDO. While a few might gain recognition for their leadership or expertise, it is the collective knowledge, skills, and dedication of the entire DRDO team that ensures India’s place at the cutting edge of missile technology. In general, the overall synthesis is not radically different from what I had in mind upon starting the text, but I now appreciate the opportunity to formulate my thoughts differently.
