India Successfully Tests Agni-5 with MIRV Technology in 'Mission Divyastra'
2024-03-11
In a landmark achievement, India successfully conducted the first flight test of an Agni-5 missile equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. This test, named 'Mission Divyastra', was carried out from Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island. The MIRV capability allows a single missile to carry multiple nuclear warheads, each capable of striking a different target, significantly enhancing India's strategic deterrence posture and second-strike capability. This development places India in an elite group of nations possessing this advanced technology, impacting regional strategic stability and global power dynamics. From a UPSC perspective, this highlights India's technological prowess and its commitment to credible minimum deterrence.
UPSC Angle: Strategic implications of MIRV technology for India's nuclear doctrine; impact on regional arms race and strategic stability; technological advancements in missile guidance and re-entry vehicles; India's position as a responsible nuclear power.