Fire elite: India blasts into the MIRV nuke club

India’s latest Agni-5 test cements its place in the elite circle of global powers with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology, a significant step in improving nuclear deterrence vis-a-vis China and Pakistan.

This month, multiple media outlets reported that India has successfully completed the first flight test of its Agni-5 MIRV missile. This milestone propels India into the elite group of nuclear powers with MIRV technology, including the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Pakistan.

The test was conducted on Abdul Kalam Island in the Bay of Bengal, off India’s northeast coast. While India did not disclose the number of MIRVs involved in the Agni-5 test, it is believed to carry anywhere between two to more than a dozen warheads.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the launch of the solid-fuel, canister-launched Agni-5 missile, part of the Agni series named after the Sanskrit word for “fire,” as a proud moment for the nation. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted the test’s contribution to Modi’s vision of a self-reliant India.

The solid fuel, canister-launched Agni-5 has a range of over 5,000 kilometers, allowing it to target regions deep within the territories of potential adversaries like China and Pakistan.

The capability is particularly significant given the ongoing border tensions with China and India’s strategic rivalry and tensions with Pakistan, underscoring the missile’s role in national security and deterrence.

Integrating MIRV technology into India’s missile arsenal will alter the region’s strategic balance by enhancing the survivability of its nuclear forces, complicating adversaries’ missile defense calculations and underlining India’s