Agni-P Missile | 20 Dec 2021

Why in News

Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired the new generation nuclear-capable ballistic missile ‘Agni Prime’.

• This is the second test of the missile, the first test took place in June 2021.
• The Agni-P missile aims to further strengthen India’s credible deterrence capabilities.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • Agni-P is a two-stage canisterised solid propellant missile with dual redundant navigation and guidance system.
  • It has been termed as a new generation advanced variant of Agni class of missiles with improved parameters, including manoeuvring and accuracy.
    
    • Canisterisation of missiles reduces the time required to launch the missile while improving the storage and ease of handling.
  • The surface-to-surface ballistic missile has a range of 1,000 to 2,000 km.
• Agni Class of Missiles:
  
  • Agni class of missiles are the mainstay of India’s nuclear launch capability, which also includes the Prithvi short-range ballistic missiles, submarine launched ballistic missiles and fighter aircraft.
    
    • Agni-V, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range of over 5,000 km, had been tested several times and validated for induction.
  • The Agni-P and Agni-5 ballistic missiles trace their origins back to the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), which was spearheaded by former DRDO chief and ex-Indian president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in the early 1980s.
• Other Ranges of Agni Missiles:
  
  • Agni I: Range of 700-800 km.
  • Agni II: Range more than 2000 km.
  • Agni III: Range of more than 2,500 Km
  • Agni IV: Range is more than 3,500 km and can fire from a road mobile launcher.
  • Agni-V: The longest of the Agni series, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range of over 5,000 km.
• Recently Tested Missile:
  
  • BrahMos supersonic cruise missile (air version)
  • Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM)

History of Missile Technology in India

• About:
  
  • Before Independence, several kingdoms in India were using rockets as part of their warfare technologies.
    
    • Mysore ruler Hyder Ali started inducting iron-cased rockets in his army in the mid-18^th century.
  • At the time of Independence, India did not have any indigenous missile capabilities.
  • The government created the Special Weapon Development Team in 1958.
    
    • This was later expanded and called the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), which moved from Delhi to Hyderabad by 1962.
  • In 1972, Project Devil, for the development of a medium range Surface-to-Surface Missile was initiated.
  • By 1982, DRDL was working on several missile technologies under the Integrated Guided Missiles Development Programme (IGMDP).
• Kind of Missiles India Have:
  
  • Surface-Launched Systems:
    
    • Anti-Tank Guided Missile:
      
      • Nag
    • Surface-to-Air Missile:
      
      • Akash
    • Medium-Range Sam:
      
      • Production of MRSAM systems for the Navy is complete, and it is placing its order
    • Short-Range Sam:
      
      • For the Navy, the first flight tests have been successfully conducted.
  • Several Air-Launched Systems:
    
    • Air-To-Air:
      
      • Astra
    • Air-to-Ground:
      
      • Rudram
      • BrahMos
• Most Important India’s Missile:
  
  • Agni (range around 5,000):
    
    • It is India’s only contender for an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), which is available with only a few countries.
  • Prithvi:
    
    • It is a short-range surface-to-surface missile with a 350 km range and has strategic uses.
      
      • India also tested a anti-satellite system in April 2019.
      • A modified anti-ballistic missile named Prithvi Defence Vehicle Mk 2 was used to hit a low-orbit satellite.
      • It put India only behind the US, Russia and China in this capability.
• Hypersonic Technology:
  
  • India is just behind the US, Russia and China.
  • DRDO successfully tested a Hypersonic Technology Demonstrated Vehicle (HSTDV) in September 2020, and demonstrated its hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology.
• Missile technology of India in Comparison to (Pakistan and China):
  
  • India:
    
    • Under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMP) first came Prithvi, then Agni.
    • BrahMos, at 2.5-3 times the speed of sound, was among the fastest in the world when developed.
    • India is working on Agni VI and Agni VII, which should have a much longer range.
  • China and Pakistan:
    
    • While China is ahead of India, a “lot of things about China are psychological”.
    • China has given Pakistan the technology, “but getting a technology and really using it, and thereafter evolving and adopting a policy is totally different”.
    • India does not call BrahMos nuclear, it can be used.
    • India’s only nuclear missiles are Prithvi and Agni, but beyond those, tactical nuclear weapons can be fired from some Indian Air Force fighter jets or from Army guns, which have a low range, around 50 km.

Source: TH