Agni-II Missiles Moved To China Border

In the wake of a recent Pentagon report that China is moving advanced CSS-5 ballistic missiles to areas close to the Sino-Indian border, New Delhi is clearly taking no chances.

The government is now ready to induct the nuclear-capable Agni-III ballistic missile — with a range of 3,000-3,500 km and capable of hitting targets in China — into the Indian armed forces. It is also in the process of acquiring 42 more Russian-origin Sukhoi-30 MKI frontline fighters to “populate” airbases at Tezpur and Chabua in Assam to bolster the eastern sector.

The government is also reportedly moving the strategic Agni-II missile inducted earlier to areas near the Chinese border. These have a range of around 2,000 km.

 

Extra land is reportedly being procured in West Bengal and elsewhere to deploy these missiles. India is also developing the Agni-V missile (with a range of 5,000 km) that could hit targets deep within China.
When contacted, Army sources on Tuesday denied that missile units had been moved to the Eastern Command due to the Chinese threat perception.

The government is also taking other steps, including raising two more Army mountain divisions (30,000 troops) that will probably be deployed on the China border.
The Cabinet Committee on Security is considering the proposal for further troops augmentation near the Sino-Indian border. 

SOURCE

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Low-Intensity Nukes And Short-Range Missiles Show Pakistan Targeting Indian Forces On Attack

Pakistan’s recent testing of NASR or Hatf-9 short range missile, coupled with its rapidly growing stockpile of low-intensity nuclear weapons,

suggests that it is actually preparing to cross the nuclear threshold in case ofa conflict with India. One of world’s most authoritative voices on
Pakistan’s nuclear strength and American nuclear expert Hans Kristensen said that a nuclear-tipped NASR seemed more like a weapon intended for use against Indian forces advancing into Pakistani territory. “While that wouldn't threaten Indian survival in itself, it would of course mean
crossing the nuclear threshold early in a conflict, which is one of the particular concerns of a short-range nuclear weapon,’’ said Kristensen, who is also Federation of American Scientists’ Nuclear Information Project director. While the 60-km short range of the nuclear capable missile doesn’t threaten the security of any major Indian city, it certainly makes the Indian army and security forces vulnerable in case India

does try to implement its much talked about Cold Start Doctrine, which entails making deep and precise incursions into Pakistani territory in the event of another Mumbai-like attack. 

 

Pakistan clearly seems to be raising the game considering that India will indeed be under pressure to destroy terror camps in Pakistan in the event of another state sponsored terror attack on India. “A NASR would have to drive all the way up to the Indian border to be able to reach important targets in India. Amritsar would be one candidate, as would several smaller cities along the border.

But that would also expose the missile to counter attack,’’ Kristensen said as he emphasized that with its rangeof only 60 kilometres, the multi-tube NASR system is not intended to retaliateagainst Indian cities but be used first against advancing Indian Army in abattlefield scenario. Kristensen had earlier described Pakistan’s production of Hatf-9 as a worrisome development for South Asia and for efforts to prevent nuclear weapons from being used.

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India To Test 5,000-km Agni-V China Killer ICBM By The End OF 2011

 India will test its 5,000-km Inter-Continental ballistic missile (ICBM), often termed the China killer For its ability to reach the northernmost areas of that country,At The end of 2011. The head of a premier defence research agency said on Friday when Defence Minister AK Antony asked for the expeditious development of the Agni-V missile system.

  DRDO  has developed a spectrum of missiles with a different range and payload capability. Now, DRDO must demonstrate its capability to reach a range of 5,000 km at the earliest, Antony said at a function at the research agency.

DRDO chief VK Saraswat , who was present beside Antony, said Agni-V will be tested by the end of this year.

Antony also asked the agency to also develop a credible Ballistice Missile Defence (BMD) system to intercept enemy missiles that may target India, thereby taking the county into an elite club of nations such as the US.

The interceptor missile development programme has taken India into an elite club of nations that possess the capability to demonstrate and deploy missile defence. DRDO should now work towards developing a credible ballistic missile defence for our country. Antony told the gathering of defence scientists.

India is in the process of developing its own BMD system and has carried out six tests in the last two years, of which four have been successful.

The BMD programme comprises a two-tiered system called Prithvi Air Defence  PAD  for high-altitude interception at 50-80 km and Advanced Air Defence  AAD  for low-altitude interception 15-30 km.

India has also inducted its latest 3,000-km Agni-III missile into the armed forces and has begun serialised production of the weapon system.

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Indian Army To Test Fire 2 Agni Missiles

The Indian Army has planned to conduct flight tests of two Agni variant missiles from the missile testing range off the Orissa coast in the next 45 days. These tests are aimed at gauging the effectiveness of the weapons  and  their performance in real time situation. Defence sources  said the        missiles to be testfired are 700km range Agni-I and 2,000km 

range Agni-II. 

The Strategic Forces Command (SFC), a contingent specially raised to carry out the user specific tests of the missiles developed by DRDO, will conduct the tests. Both the missiles have been inducted in the Army.The missiles will be launched from the launching complexIV of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) with the logistic support from the DRDO scientists and technical officers. While AgniII has been planned to be tested in the last week of August, the test of AgniI is scheduled for third week of September. 

A defence official said as the missiles have been handed over to the Army for its use during the time of crisis, the military personnel through these userspecific trials get to know how to use the weapon and its capability. Preparation for the tests will soon start at the LCIV in the Wheeler's Island off the Dhamra coast in Bhadrak district. After both the trials, the DRDO has planned to go for the maiden test of 5,000 km range AgniV missile, considered India's first InterContinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). Though the missile which has the capability to reach most of the Chinese cities is ready for test, the DRDO is reportedly waiting for the State Government's nod. AgniI missile weighs around 12 tonnes and can carry both conventional and nuclear payload of about 1,000 kg. It is powered by both solid and liquid propellants, which imparts it a speed of 2.5 km a second. The missile can blast off from both road and rail mobile launchers.Similarly, AgniII missile is about 21 metres tall having a diameter of one metre and weighs 17 tonnes. It can carry a payload (both conventional and nuclear) of around one tonne. The twostage solidpropelled AgniII is one of the key weapon systems of the country's nuclear deterrence doctrine.

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