Missile capability of India

The history of missile technology in India-

Before Independence:

• Mysore ruler Hyder Ali started inducting iron-cased rockets in his army in the mid-18th century. 
• By the time Hyder’s son Tipu Sultan died, a company of rocketeers was attached to each brigade of his army, which has been estimated at around 5,000 rocket-carrying troops.

Post- Independence:

• 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).
• Under the IGMDP, then headed by A P J Abdul Kalam, later India’s President, first came Prithvi, then Agni. 

Kinds of missiles in India-

The surface-launched systems-

• Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM): 

• Nag has already been inducted into the services and is the only fire-and-forget ATGM meeting all weather requirements for its range (around 20 km). 
• Recently Heli-Nag was tested, which will be operated from helicopters and will be inducted by 2022.
• There is also a Stand-off Anti-Tank (SANT) missile, with a range over 10 km that has a millimetre wave seeker, which enhances target detection in all weather conditions.  

• Surface-to-Air Missile: 

• The short-range SAM system Akash has already been inducted in the Army and the Air Force. 
• For Akash (New Generation), the first tests were conducted in July this year.
• Production of MRSAM (Medium range) systems for the Navy is complete, and it is placing its order. 
• The Jaisalmer-based 2204 Squadron of the Air Force became the first unit to get the MRSAM systems in September 2021.  

Air-launched systems:

      1. Air-to-Air: 

• Astra, India’s Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), has been completely tested and is under induction. 
• It has a range of around 100 km, and DRDO is trying to now induct it with more IAF platforms, including the domestically developed light combat aircraft Tejas. 
• A long-range Astra is also being developed, for which initial tests have been conducted. 
• The missile uses solid fuel ramjet technology, which enhances speed, and will have an indigenously-built seeker.

     2. Air-to-Ground: 

• Rudram, a New Generation Anti-Radiation Missile (NGRAM), has cleared initial tests with a maximum range of around 200 km.
• BrahMos, which India developed jointly with Russia, is already operational. 
• It has a 300 km to 500 km range, and is a short-range, ramjet-powered, single warhead, supersonic anti-ship or land attack cruise missile.

Important missiles of India-

The two most important are Agni and Prithvi, both being used by the Strategic Forces Command:

• Agni (range around 5,000) , is India’s only contender for an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM), which is available with only a few countries. 
• Prithvi, although a short-range surface-to-surface missile with a 350 km range, 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.

India’s hypersonic technology-

• India has been working on this for a few years, and 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.
• India has developed its own cryogenic engine and demonstrated it in a 23-second flight. 
• Only Russia has proven its hypersonic missile capability so far, while China has demonstrated its HGV capacity. 
• India is expected to be able to have a hypersonic weapons system within four years, with medium- to long-range capabilities.