Missiles in Indian Arsenal

Agni Missile

The Agni missile (named after Agni, the god of fire) is an IRBM developed under the IGMDP by India. It was first tested at the Interim Test Range in Chandipur in 1989, and is capable of carrying a conventional payload of 1000 kg (2,200 lb) or a nuclear warhead. It consists of one (short range) or two stages (intermediate range). It is rail and road mobile. It is powered by solid and/or liquid propellants.

Agni III can hit strategic targets deep inside China with a strike range of 3,500-4,000 km. It is expected to be test-fired sometime between November 2005 to March 2006. It falls short of the range of ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) which have ranges over 5,000 km.

Agni III is the third in the Agni series of missiles. The Agni I has a range of 700-800 km while the Agni II as a range of 2,000–2,500 km. They are claimed to be a part of the "credible deterrence" against Pakistan. The Agni II can only reach some parts of western China. Some parts of the missile have benefited from India's Space Program. Right now most of eastern China remains out of range from the Indian missiles. The Indian Missile Program has been a largely indigenous one with almost all of the equipment developed by Indian scientists.However it is delayed by some years as more variants of Agni are expected.



Prithvi missile

The Prithvi missile (from Sanskrit prthvi "Earth") is the short range ballistic missile (SRBM) developed by India under the IGMDP. The Prithvi was India's first indigenously developed ballistic missile. Development of the Prithvi began in 1983, and it was first tested fired on February 25, 1988. It has a range of up to 150 to 300 km with variants for land and sea/subsurface roles (Dhanush (Bow)) targeting surface targets. The Prithvi is said to have its propulsion technology derived from the Soviet SA-2 surface-to-air missile. Variants make use of either liquid or solid propellants or both. Developed as a battlefield missile, it could carry a nuclear warhead in its role as a tactical nuclear weapon. Some versions have already been handed over to the Indian Army Missile Group for deployment.

Produced in three variation/variants.

Prithvi I has a 1000 kg warhead and a range of over 125 statute miles (200 km) and has been handed over to the Indian Army in 1994. Is entirely liquid fuelled. 

Prithvi II has a range of 250 kilometres (155 statute miles) with the Indian Air Force being the primary user. This is said to be solid fuelled. It was first test-fired on January 27, 1996. 

Prithvi III tested on September 21, 2001, consists of two stages. The first stage is solid fuelled with a 16 metric ton force (157 kN) thrust motor. The second stage is liquid fuelled. The missile can carry a 1000 kg warhead to a distance of 350 km and a 500 kg warhead to a distance of 600 kilometres and a 250 kilogram warhead upto a distance of 750 kilometres. It has been developed while keeping the navy in mind. If reports are accurate, Prithvi could be reclassified from SRBM to a medium range ballistic missile (MRBM). 

High circular error probability (CEP) of the order of about 500 meter is a major setback to the Prithvi series of missiles. Latest development indicates the incorporation of global positioning system (GPS) into the missiles which can reduce the CEP as low as 75 meters. Prinicipally liquid fuel based system is another problem as liquid fuels are extremely volatile and prone to accidents. Also, the missiles can only be fueled just prior to the launching.


BrahMos Missile

The BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. It is a joint venture between Russia's Mashinostreyenia, and India's Brahmos corp. Propulsion is based on the Russian Yakhont missile, while guidance is developed by Brahmos corp., India. BrahMos is currently one of the few supersonic cruise missiles in the world.

The missile is under development as a joint venture between the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) from India and the Federal State Unitary Enterprise NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) (Russia) under BrahMos Aerospace. The missile gets its name from two great rivers: Brahmaputra and Moskva.

BrahMos is designed to be able to attack surface targets at as low an altitude as 10 meters and a speed of Mach 2.8, with a maximum range of 290 km. The ship-launched and land-based missiles have a 200 kg warhead, while the aircraft-launched variant (BrahMos A) has a 300 kg one. It has a two-stage propulsion system, with a solid-propellant rocket for initial acceleration and a liquid-fuelled ramjet responsible for sustained supersonic cruise. Air-breathing ramjet propulsion is much more fuel-efficient than rocket propulsion, giving the BrahMos a longer range than a pure rocket-powered missile would achieve.

The high rate of speed of this missile gives it a capability for higher kinetic energy damage versus that of slower cruise missiles such as the Tomahawk.

Although BrahMos is an anti-ship missile, it has the capability to engage land based targets. The missile can be launched either in a vertical or inclined position and is capable of covering targets over a 360 degree horizon. The BrahMos missile has identical configuration for land, sea and subsea platforms. The air-launched version has a smaller booster and additional tail fins for added stability during launch.


Akash Missile

Akash (Sanskrit for Sky, sometimes spelt Aakash) is under development as part of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Program and DRDO to achieve self-sufficiency in the area of surface-to-air missiles. Akash is a mobile area defense medium-range 27-30 km SAM, and can engage targets from treetop level to 18,000 meters. The missile weights 700kg, and power by a solid rocket booster stage, followed by a Ramjet engine. The warhead with a lethal radius of 20 meters, weights 60kg. The missile has a terminal guidance system capable of working through electronic countermeasures.

The missile system’s fire control radar is a multi-target and multi-function phased array radar called 'Rajendra' with a range of about 60km.

It is being developed further to increase its speed, altitude and range to 60km.

The missile system has been through several trials at the Interim Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Orissa, and had, until recently, only met with moderate success. In November 2004, however, trials conducted with a live warhead and active terminal radar navigation achieved repeatable performance against test targets. In 2005, the Akash underwent systems and integration testing, firing a target drones, from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, India.


Astra Missile

The Astra missile is an air-to-air (AA), beyond visual range (BVR) missile under development by India. This is the first indigenous air-to-air missile developed by India. The range of this missile is 80 km in head-on chase and 15 km in tail chase. This missile was successfully tested without control and guidance systems on May 9 to May 12, 2003.

India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing this advanced beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) for its Mirage 2000, MiG-29, Sea Harrier, Su-30, and the Light Combat Aircraft. Astra looks like an elongated Matra 530. It uses an indigenously developed solid fuel propellant, though DRDO is believed to be looking at rocket/ramjet propulsion similar to that used in its AKASH SAM project. The missile's onboard radio-frequency seeker has been largely designed in India. It will have an active homing range of 15 km. The missile has a pre-fragmented warhead & is fitted with a proximity fuze. A radar fuze already exists for the Astra, but the DRDO is currently working on a new laser fuze.