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India.com
an hour ago
- Politics
- India.com
Precision Strike at 5000 Kms: The Agni-V Accuracy That Haunts Our Enemies
भारत की बढ़ती ताकत When the 50-ton monster rises from its launch pad with a deafening roar that can be heard for kilometers, it carries with it the complete transformation of India's strategic power. The Agni-V isn't just another missile – it's India's entry into the exclusive club of nations wielding Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), and it has fundamentally changed how our enemies view the consequences of threatening our motherland. What Makes Agni-V an ICBM? The term ICBM – Intercontinental Ballistic Missile – isn't thrown around lightly. To earn this designation, a missile must have a range exceeding 5,500 kilometers. The Agni-V, with its impressive 5,000-kilometer range, sits right at the threshold of this elite category. Some defense experts argue it's technically an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM), but make no mistake – its capabilities are purely ICBM-class. What does this 5,000-kilometer reach mean in real terms? From any launch site in India, this beast can strike deep into China's heartland, reaching major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Every Pakistani city from Karachi to Islamabad lies well within its devastating embrace. For the first time in our history, no enemy territory is beyond our reach. The Engineering Marvel: Understanding the Three-Stage Design The Agni-V's three-stage design is a masterpiece of rocket engineering that every Indian should understand with pride. Think of it like a three-story building that sheds each floor as it climbs higher into space. The first stage is the powerhouse – the largest section that burns for approximately 100 seconds, lifting this 50,000-kilogram giant off the ground and accelerating it through the thick lower atmosphere. Once its fuel is exhausted, this stage separates and falls away, reducing the missile's weight significantly. The second stage then ignites, pushing the missile further and faster as it arcs through the upper atmosphere. This stage burns for about 90 seconds before it too separates and falls into the ocean, hundreds of kilometers from the launch site. Finally, the third stage – the smallest but most crucial part – fires for the final push, placing the warhead on its precise ballistic trajectory toward the target. This three-stage process allows the Agni-V to achieve the tremendous speeds needed to travel intercontinental distances – over 24 times the speed of sound! Precision That Terrifies: The 10-20 Meter CEP Here's where the Agni-V becomes truly frightening for our enemies. CEP stands for Circular Error Probable – a measure of accuracy that indicates the radius within which 50% of missiles will land. The Agni-V's CEP of 10-20 meters means that half of these missiles will land within a circle of just 10-20 meters radius around their intended target. To put this in perspective, imagine trying to hit a small building from 5,000 kilometers away – that's like shooting from Delhi and hitting a specific house in Beijing with pinpoint accuracy. This level of precision transforms the Agni-V from a weapon of mass destruction into a surgical strike instrument capable of taking out specific military installations, command bunkers, or leadership facilities. The Bunker-Buster Capability The Agni-V's bunker-buster capability adds another layer of terror for enemy military planners. Traditional nuclear bunkers, built deep underground and reinforced with concrete and steel, were designed to survive nuclear attacks from earlier-generation missiles. But the Agni-V changes everything. When this missile re-enters Earth's atmosphere, it's traveling at such tremendous speed that the kinetic energy alone – even without the nuclear warhead exploding – can penetrate deep underground bunkers. The warhead can be programmed to detonate at the optimal depth to cause maximum damage to underground facilities. This capability specifically targets the leadership bunkers where Chinese Communist Party leaders and Pakistani military commanders believe they can hide during a conflict. The message is clear: there is no safe haven when facing India's Agni-V. The Devastating 1,360 kg Payload The Agni-V can carry a payload of 1,360 kilograms – that's more than the weight of a small car. This payload capacity is significant because it can accommodate either a single massive thermonuclear warhead or multiple smaller warheads (MIRV – Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles). A single 1,360 kg thermonuclear warhead would have a yield potentially exceeding 200 kilotons – more than 13 times more powerful than the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima. The destruction radius of such a weapon would be catastrophic, capable of completely destroying any major city. Alternatively, this payload capacity allows for MIRV technology, where multiple smaller warheads can separate during flight and hit different targets simultaneously. Imagine one Agni-V launching from Indian soil and its warheads striking Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou simultaneously – this is the stuff of nightmares for Chinese military planners. Launch Process: From Canister to Catastrophe The Agni-V's launch process is a carefully choreographed dance of destruction that can be initiated within minutes. The missile is stored in a sealed canister aboard an eight-wheeled Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL) vehicle that looks like an oversized truck but carries the power to end civilizations. When launch orders are received, the TEL vehicle moves to a pre-designated location – this could be anywhere from the deserts of Rajasthan to the forests of Odisha. The mobility ensures that enemies cannot predict or preemptively strike the launch location. The launch sequence begins with the canister being raised to vertical position using hydraulic systems. Advanced computers calculate wind speed, atmospheric conditions, and the exact trajectory needed to reach the target with maximum precision. The missile's inertial navigation system is programmed with the target coordinates. Upon receiving the final launch command, the first stage ignites with tremendous force, generating enough thrust to lift the massive 50-ton missile skyward. Within seconds, the Agni-V is traveling faster than the speed of sound, and within minutes, it's beyond the reach of any existing missile defense system. Strategic Impact: Changing the Game Forever The psychological impact of the Agni-V cannot be overstated. For decades, China believed its vast territory and distance from India provided natural protection. Pakistani leaders felt secure behind their geographical barriers and Chinese-supplied defense systems. The Agni-V has shattered these illusions completely. General Asim Munir and his Pakistani military establishment now face a harsh reality – every major Pakistani city, military installation, and leadership facility lies within easy reach of Indian retaliation. Their dreams of achieving strategic parity through terrorism and nuclear blackmail have been demolished. Similarly, Chinese military strategists in Beijing can no longer plan aggressive moves against India without considering the devastating consequences. The Agni-V ensures that any conflict with India could result in Chinese cities paying a price that their leadership is unwilling to accept. Pride of Indian Innovation What makes every Indian's heart swell with pride is that the Agni-V represents pure indigenous technology. From its advanced composite materials that can withstand the extreme heat of re-entry to its sophisticated ring laser gyroscope navigation system, every component has been designed and manufactured by Indian scientists and engineers. The missile's solid fuel propulsion system, developed entirely by DRDO, ensures reliability and long storage life. Unlike liquid-fueled missiles that require hours of preparation, the Agni-V can be launched within 15 minutes of receiving orders, making it the perfect retaliatory weapon. The Ultimate Deterrent The Agni-V represents more than military capability – it embodies India's emergence as a true global power that will never again bow before threats or aggression. With its 5,000-kilometer range, surgical precision, bunker-busting capability, and massive payload, it has created a new strategic reality in Asia. Our enemies now know that threatening India means facing consequences they cannot escape, no matter where they hide. The Agni-V doesn't just deliver warheads – it delivers the promise that India will always have the strength to defend its sovereignty and the determination to make any aggressor pay an unacceptable price. This is India's ultimate weapon, and the world has taken notice. The balance of power in Asia has shifted, and it has shifted decisively in India's favor.
West Australian
20-07-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Top NATO official says China's rapid nuclear build-up poses a deterrence challenge to the US
One of NATO's top officials says China's rapid nuclear build-up poses a deterrence challenge to the United States amid warnings China and Russia could embroil the West in a two-front war as early as 2027. Pentagon official, Jim Stokes and now the head of NATO's Nuclear Policy, made the comments, speaking exclusively to The Nightly in an interview for the Latika Takes podcast. China has added around 100 new warheads to its stockpile since 2023, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, meaning its nuclear arsenal is the fastest-growing in the world. The Institute said China currently has around 600 nuclear warheads and could potentially have at least as many Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) as either Russia or the USA by the 2030s. China has previously said it had no comment on the Institute's estimates and claimed it does not participate in an arms race. Mr Stokes said one explanation for China's quest to stockpile so many nuclear weapons could be to acquire leverage 'if it ever tries to do anything vis-a-vis Taiwan.' 'That does present a deterrence challenge to the United States and all of its allies in terms of how do you potentially deter conflict in two regions and perhaps simultaneously in the Indo-Pacific region and also the Euro-Atlantic region,' Mr Stokes said. 'A lot of people are talking about what that two-nuclear peer challenge would look like.' Last week, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe Alexus Grynkewich warned that the Alliance's 32 members must be ready for the possibility that Russia and China could launch wars in Europe and the Pacific simultaneously, possibly in 2027 — the same year that China's President Xi Jinping has ordered his military to be ready to take Taiwan, with force, if necessary. There are nine nuclear-armed countries in the world: the US, UK, France, China, Russia, North Korea, Pakistan, India and Israel, which does not publicly acknowledge possessing nuclear weapons. Asked specifically what Australia, which is not a member of NATO but a partner country, should do in light of China's nuclear build-up, Mr Stokes recommended deepening engagement with NATO and drawing the United States, Australia's top security ally, closer. 'I would say for Australia, while it's good to have dialogue with other Indo-Pacific nations and European nations and other nations from around the world, talk to the United States, continue to cultivate that bilateral relationship there,' he said. 'And if it's a discussion about nuclear issues, that's the power that you should be talking to. 'Engage with the United States and have an understanding about how it is thinking through nuclear strategy and posture, doctrine and capabilities. 'In much the same way, the US has had a more structured dialogue with Japan and also with South Korea in recent years about nuclear issues. 'It's similar in the way that we have consultation mechanisms within NATO about nuclear issues. 'That's one way non-nuclear states can have a better understanding of these things and also some influence or some input into the decision making of nuclear powers by having those relationships and being able to talk about these things, to be able to have their input into, say, policies or any decisions that may be made, and then also be able to better explain it to their own populations.' He also urged engagement with NATO to show combined political will and come up with ways to 'tackle some of these really hard deterrent and defence challenges that we face.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese skipped NATO this year for the second year in a row, despite being one of only four leaders from the Indo-Pacific invited to the annual leaders' summit. He has taken two international trips since his 94-seat landslide, opting to meet the Pope at the Vatican and last week spending six days in China visiting President Xi Jinping with his fiancée Jodie Haydon, to promote deepening business and tourism ties with Beijing. By contrast, he has not visited the White House or met Donald Trump since his re-election last November and inauguration in January. The opposition's foreign spokeswoman, Senator Michaelia Cash urged the Prime Minister to strengthen, and not diminish, the US Alliance. 'We have known for some time that the world faces myriad strategic challenges,' Senator Cash said. 'Mr Albanese has said we live in the most dangerous strategic circumstances since World War II. 'The Opposition has continually called on Mr Albanese to do two things – lift Australia's spending on defence and focus his international attention on securing the AUKUS alliance. 'At a time of global uncertainty, now is a time to strengthen the US-Australia alliance by building our influence in Washington, not diminishing it.' The Prime Minister's Office declined to comment when asked if Mr Albanese raised China's nuclear build-up with President Xi during last week's marathon trip. Mr Stokes said China remained coy on why it was building such an enormous stockpile in peacetime and that while Beijing claimed to have a 'no first-use' policy of using nuclear weapons, it was to be treated with scepticism. 'That buildup … and the diversity of weapons and the delivery systems and why, what is that really for?' Mr Stokes said. 'They're not going to pull some document off the shelf and say, what did it say, what did Chairman Mao talk about back in the 1960s? 'They tried to use that to promote the fact that their nuclear deterrent is peaceful, but then they're using it to obfuscate the fact that they're also building up. 'Ultimately, I believe that decision-making is made by the Chinese President, and so I don't know that any leader is going to feel beholden to some doctrine that's written somewhere. 'They're going to make decisions perhaps in a crisis situation or even a conflict situation based on the advice that they're given, based on their own beliefs.' He said, unlike Western nuclear powers, the US, UK and France, China had never engaged in bilateral arms control talks, risk reduction measures or hotlines. 'There's a lot more that we could do with China if they had it in their interest, but they've shown they're clearly not willing to do that,' he said. Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Penny Wong told the Institute for Strategic and International Studies on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia that China was projecting its military power further into the region. 'And we have seen the worrying pace of China's nuclear and conventional military buildup without the transparency that the region expects,' Senator Wong said.
Hans India
26-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
New Nuclear Threat: Pak developing ballistic missile that could hit US
Washington/New Delhi: The Pakistani military is secretively developing a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could reach the United States, according to intelligence agencies in Washington. The report by 'Foreign Affairs' comes amid reports that Pakistan was looking to upgrade its nuclear arsenal with support from China after India's Operation Sindoor. The report, quoting US officials, said if Pakistan goes on to acquire such a missile, Washington would designate the country as a nuclear adversary. Any nation possessing nuclear weapons that is considered a potential threat or opponent of the US is seen as a nuclear adversary. Presently, Russia, China and North Korea are considered adversarial to the US. "If Pakistan acquires an ICBM, Washington will have no choice but to treat the country as a nuclear adversary. No other country with ICBMs that can target the United States is considered a friend," the report quoted US officials as saying. Pakistan has always claimed that its nuclear program was strictly focused on deterring India. Its policy has been focused on developing short and medium-range missiles. Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which can be armed with both nuclear and conventional warheads, are capable of hitting targets over 5,500 km. Presently, Pakistan has no ICBMs. In 2022, Pakistan tested the surface-to-surface medium-range ballistic missile Shaheen-III, which can hit targets over 2,700 km, bringing a number of Indian cities under its range. In developing an intercontinental ballistic missile, Pakistan might be looking to deter the US from trying to eliminate its nuclear arsenal in case of a preventive attack and also prevent it from intervening on India's behalf if both the neighbouring countries clash again. The issue is being viewed with concern by the US. Last year, Washington imposed fresh sanctions related to Pakistan's long-range ballistic-missile program. The sanctions were slapped on the National Development Complex, the state-owned defence agency overseeing the missile program, and three other firms. It froze any US property belonging to the entities and barred American firms from doing business with them. While Pakistan called the move "biased", the US action was based on a State Department factsheet that said Islamabad sought to obtain components for its long-range ballistic-missile program. Pakistan, which possesses around 170 nuclear warheads, is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The treaty is aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The fresh development comes after the latest World Threat Assessment report by the US said Pakistan, rattled by India's Operation Sindoor, was obtaining materials and technology for developing weapons of mass destruction from China. During last month's hostilities, India destroyed nine terror camps and targeted 11 vital airbases deep inside Pakistan. There were reports that Pakistan fired Fatah-II, a hypersonic ballistic missile, towards India. However, the missile was intercepted by India's robust air defence systems.
News18
25-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
Pakistan Developing Long-Range Nuclear Ballistic Missile That Can Reach US, Reveals New Report
Last Updated: Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which can be armed with both nuclear and conventional warheads, are capable of hitting targets over 5,500 km The Pakistani military is working on developing a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the continental United States, a new report by Foreign Affairs reveals amid reports that in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, Pakistan was looking to bolster its nuclear arsenal with support from China. Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which can be armed with both nuclear and conventional warheads, are capable of hitting targets over 5,500 km. According to the report, citing US officials, if Pakistan successfully develops such a missile, Washington would classify the country as a nuclear adversary. At present, Russia, China and North Korea are considered adversarial to the US. Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme began in the early 1970s, largely driven by regional tensions, particularly after India conducted its first nuclear test in 1974. The country officially became a nuclear-armed state in 1998, after carrying out a series of six nuclear tests. Sources close to the matter suggest that Pakistan's decision to develop such a missile is a response to India's growing military strength and its investment in advanced missile defence systems. Pakistan has long relied on its nuclear arsenal as a deterrent against India's conventional military superiority, but this new development signals a dramatic escalation in the region's arms race. The China-Pakistan nexus plays a significant role in Pakistan's nuclear strategy. While China has not publicly supported the development of Pakistan's ICBM, its ongoing military assistance and economic investments in Pakistan have bolstered Islamabad's defence capabilities. Experts suggest that China may have given tacit approval to Pakistan's missile program, further complicating the security calculus for India and the US. A key concern for both India and the US is the security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. Given Pakistan's history of instability and militant groups, the potential for terrorist infiltration or unauthorised access to such powerful weapons is a real worry. Experts fear that if Pakistan's nuclear systems are not adequately safeguarded, it could pose a major risk not only for the region but also for the broader international community. First Published: June 25, 2025, 14:32 IST
Hindustan Times
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pakistan developing nuclear-capable ICBM that could reach US after India's Operation Sindoor: Report
Pakistan is developing a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could reach the United States, according to a report published in Washington. Pakistan is said to be developing a long-range ballistic missile.(via REUTERS) According to the report by 'Foreign Affairs', if Pakistan does make or acquire such a weapon, the country would be viewed as a nuclear adversary by the US. The report comes amid buzz that Islamabad was looking to upgrade its nuclear arsenal with support from China after India launched Operation Sindoor last month. Any nation that has nuclear weapons and is considered a potential threat or opponent of the US is termed by Washington as a nuclear adversary. Russia, China and North Korea make up the current list as of now, but according to officials quoted in the report, Pakistan may also find a place in the list if it gets that weapon. "If Pakistan acquires an ICBM, Washington will have no choice but to treat the country as a nuclear adversary. No other country with ICBMs that can target the United States is considered a friend," the report quoted US officials as saying. The official position of Pakistan has always been that its nuclear programme was strictly focused on deterring India, developing short- and medium-range missiles. Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which can be armed with both nuclear and conventional warheads, are capable of hitting targets over 5,500 km, and Islamabad currently doesn't have any ICBMs in its arsenal. It had tested the surface-to-surface medium-range ballistic missile Shaheen-III in 2022. The missile has a range of over 2,700 km and brings a number of Indian cities within its range. The reason Pakistan might be developing an ICBM to target the US Pakistan might have started developing an ICBM to try and deter the US from trying to eliminate its nuclear arsenal in case of a preventive attack. It might have gotten even more motivation after Washington's strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran. The missile might also prevent the US from intervening on India's behalf if the neighbouring countries clash again. The US is viewing the development with a lot of concern. It had imposed fresh sanctions related to Pakistan's long-range ballistic-missile program last year. The sanctions were slapped on the National Development Complex, the state-owned defence agency overseeing the missile program, and three other firms. Any US property belonging to the four entities was frozen, and American firms were barred from doing business with them. Islamabad had called the move 'biased'. Neither India nor Pakistan is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The treaty is aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
