India The Emerging Nuclear Weapons Superpower
India is estimated to have already produced enough military grade plutonium for 200 nuclear warheads, as per the guesstimate of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists. Additional plutonium will be also required to produce warheads for new longer range missiles now under development India is reportedly also building several new plutonium production facilities.
India also continues to modernize its nuclear arsenal, with at least five new weapon systems now under development to complement or replace existing nuclear-capable aircraft, land-based delivery systems, and sea-based systems.
Unlike the missile-centric U.S. and Russian nuclear forces, India initially had only bombers, perhaps not unexpected for a nation having land borders with its two nuclear adversaries. It then fielded its first nuclear-capable ballistic missile in 2003 with a range of just 1500km. India maintains several strike squadrons with latest upgradation of French-made Mirage 2000 and Indian made Jaguar IS/IB aircraft which are nuclear capable and can easily target Pakistan and China. India has also started receiving the French Rafale fighters that can deliver nuclear weapons. India has bought two squadrons of these formidable fighters.
India’s nuclear missile force is only about 17 years old, as induction of 350 km range PRITHVI -3 under the Strategic Forces Command had taken place in 2003. Since then 5 more types of land-based ballistic missiles have been fully deployed in Silos/ rail / road cannisterized systems. These are the short-range Agni-I with 1500km range, the medium-range Agni-II with 2500km range, the intermediate-range Agni-III and Agni IV with 3500 to 5000km range and Agni V with 8000km range. At least two other longer-range land based Agni missiles are under development: the Agni-VI with 12000km and probably SURYA with 15000 km + range. Though it remain to be seen how many of these missile types India plans to finally keep in its arsenal.
Although India has made no official statements about the future size or composition of its land-based missile force, a few of the redundant missile types could potentially be discontinued or replaced. India has already tested Prahar and Agni 1 to probably replace the Prithvis. It is also developing the Nirbhay ground-launched cruise missile, much superior to the U.S. Tomahawk.
India has also established the third leg of its nuclear deterrence.There is Dhanush sea-based, short-range ballistic missile, which is deployed on specially-configured patrol vessels. Two SSBNs carrying several K15 missile with 1500km range and a few K4 missiles with 5000km range are now carrying out operational patrols. Three more nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines are under various stages of completion. On deployment they will be carrying the K4 missiles and later will also have K6 with 8000km range followed by longer range ICBMs.
So now Indian nuclear missiles are capable of striking on any part of China. With the nuclear triad in place, India has full second strike capability against China.
What has intrigued and caused considerable consternation among other nuclear powers is that they came to know about the operational deployment of INS ARIHANT only after it completed its first operational patrol. So now they are keeping a careful watch to observe the command and control system which India has.
Till date only one nation has carried out nuclear strike not once but twice, indicating not anger but cold blooded calculations. However India has made sure these missiles are fired when—and only when—they should be.
