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NEW DELHI, Jan 11: India on Saturday said it was developing Agni-III missile with a target range of 3,000 kilometres.
The announcement came amid reports that a committee advising the government on nuclear strategy had concluded that Delhi’s stated stance of no first-use of nuclear weapons should be scrapped.
“The development of Agni-3 is on. It is being designed to hit targets at a distance of more than 3,000 kms. We will hopefully test-fire it before the end of the year,” scientific adviser defence minister V.K. Aatre was quoted by Star News as saying.
According to at least one news report, the National Security Advisory Board asked the government to review its no-first-use of nuclear weapons policy in “light of the history of the last four years”.
In a report published in weekly India Abroad, the third Board’s final report was quoted as recommending: “India may consider withdrawing from this commitment as the other nuclear weapons state have not accepted this policy”.
The report, apparently withdrawn since its publication on Thursday, said the third NSAB had submitted its final paper, the National Security Review, to National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra on Dec 20. It said the for-mer ambassador to China, C.V. Ranganathan, convener of the 15-member board, presented the report that takes a deep look at India’s internal and external security aspects, and recommends short- and long-term measures to strengthen India’s security.
The first NSAB had, two years ago, supported the government’s stand that India would never be the first to use nuclear weapons.
But the latest report wanted this policy apparently overturned, pointing out that India is the only nuclear weapon state that has committed itself to a “no-first-use” policy.
The report said that the United States had at no stage agreed to such policy and Russia abandoned the posture, which had been adopted by the Soviet Union.
Though China has asserted it will not be the first to use nuclear weapons, in recent years there has been some confusion on their stand, especially vis-a-vis Taiwan.
Among its other recommendations, the Board has asked government to finalize and publicly declare the setting up of a command and control structure for nuclear weapons.
It has suggested that New Delhi develop responses to (threats of nuclear attack) the maximum extent possible, the report said.
AFP ADDS: Aatre declared the Agni-I — first tested a year ago — ready for induction into India’s armed forces.
“We have finished all development trials of Agni-I; it can be inducted anytime. It is part of the Agni series of missiles which have been tested eight times,” the official said.
He said India was also able to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles, but had no apparent need to do so.
“Missiles with ranges between 3,500 and 14,000 kilometres do not involve much of a change. We have the technology to do it,” Aatre said.
Other missiles being developed are the short- range surface-to-surface Prithvi, the surface-to-air Trishul and Akash, and the Nag anti-tank missile.
Aatre said New Delhi would in late January make a first test of the Brahmos naval variant of a cruise missile, jointly developed with Russia.
The Brahmos, when launched from a ship, can fly at a height of up to 14 kilometres at twice the speed of sound, he said. Brahmos has a range of 300 kilometres and can carry a 200kg conventional warhead.
The Brahmos has a sensor on its head that detects the target and can change course to strike 20km from the initial objective.
