India enlarges missiles arsenal
(MENAFN) At a recent event in Bengaluru, Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Marshal A.P. Singh shared new details about India’s May standoff with Pakistan. For the first time, he confirmed that the IAF had shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and a large airborne platform, likely an ELINT or AEW&C aircraft, from a distance of roughly 300 km. Singh described this as “the largest-ever recorded surface-to-air kill” publicly disclosed. He also emphasized the strategic value of the S-400 air defense system and the precision of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles in the conflict.
Earlier reports highlighted upgrades by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) to the long-range Agni-V ballistic missile. The enhanced missile is expected to carry a 7,500 kg conventional warhead with bunker-buster capability, combining high mass, reinforced casing, and advanced guidance systems to penetrate fortified targets.
Globally, similar weapons exist: the US has used the GBU-43/B “Mother of All Bombs” in Afghanistan and GBU-57 30,000-pound bunker-busters against Iranian nuclear facilities. Russia has its 7,100 kg thermobaric FOAB, and China unveiled a smaller GBU-43/B-like bomb deployable on the H-6K bomber. India is accelerating its development of advanced bunker-busters to counter fortified installations in neighboring Pakistan and China.
After the 1962 war with China and the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan, India recognized the need for self-reliance in missile technology. Initially dependent on imports, India launched an indigenous missile program in the 1980s under Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, producing the Agni and Prithvi surface-to-surface ballistic missiles. The program officially ended in 2008, but specific missile projects continued. Today, the Agni series, Prithvi missiles, Indo-Russian BrahMos missiles, and Akash medium-range mobile SAM systems form the backbone of India’s strategic arsenal. Several advanced missiles are also undergoing testing for future deployment.
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