India Missile Chronology
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India Missile Chronology 2011-2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001-2000 | 1999-1996 | 1995-1991 1990-1986 | 1985-1980 | 1979-1971 | 1970-1947 Last update: July 2011 This annotated chronology is based on the data sources that follow each entry. Public sources often provide conflicting information on classified military programs. In some cases we are unable to resolve these discrepancies, in others we have deliberately refrained from doing so to highlight the potential influence of false or misleading information as it appeared over time. In many cases, we are unable to independently verify claims. Hence in reviewing this chronology, readers should take into account the credibility of the sources employed here. Inclusion in this chronology does not necessarily indicate that a particular development is of direct or indirect proliferation significance. Some entries provide international or domestic context for technological development and national policymaking. Moreover, some entries may refer to developments with positive consequences for nonproliferation. 2011-2004 18 July 2011 Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) sources say that the first test of the rapid reaction, short-range, tactical missile Prahaar is likely to be conducted on July 21. The missile will be tested at the Integrated Test Range in Balasore, Orissa. —"Flight-test of Prahaar missile likely on July 21," The Hindu, 18 July 2011, www.thehindu.com. 3 July 2011 The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) develops a new short-range, tactical missile called Prahaar. The missile has a range of 150km and is said to be more accurate than the currently-deployed unguided missiles. —"New short-range missile test July-end," Deccan Chronicle, 3 July 2011, www.deccanchronicle.com. 25 June 2011 India and Pakistan exchange proposals on nuclear and missile confidence building measures, including a proposal to incorporate cruise missile tests in their 2005 agreement on Pre-Notification of Flight Testing of Ballistic Missiles. —"India, Pak exchange proposals on conventional, nuclear CBMs," Indian Express, 25 June 2011, www.indianexpress.com. 20 June 2011 The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) proposes removing the 3,100-mile (4988km) restriction on the range of its missiles to allow it to produce an intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of over 6,200 miles (9977km). The Indian government adopted a voluntary restriction on missile range in 2006 after Related content is available on the website for the Nuclear Threat Initiative, www.nti.org. This material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, or agents. Copyright © 2011 by MIIS. the test of the Agni-III ballistic missile, which has a range of 1,860 miles (2993km). The final decision on this proposal will be taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security. —"India Weighs Developing ICBM with 6,200-Mile Reach," Global Security Newswire, 20 June 2011, http://gsn.nti.org. 11 June 2011 The Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal PV Naik calls for expanding India's strategic missile force to include an intercontinental reach. Naik says that "India should pursue an ICBM program to acquire ranges of 10,000km or more." —"Air Chief in favour of flexing missile power," The Hindustan Times, 11 June 2011, www.hindustantimes.com. 10 June 2011 The Prithvi-II surface-to-surface missile is successfully tested from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Orissa. The nuclear-capable missile has a range of 350km. —"Prithvi-II successfully flight-tested," The Hindu, 10 June 2011, www.thehindu.com. 3 June 2011 Dr. Vijay Kumar Saraswat of the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) says that the 5000km- range ballistic missile Agni-V will be tested for the first time by the end of 2011. He says, "This missile would be based on the concept of re-entry vehicle capable of covering whole of Pakistan and China." Regarding the Agni-III, Saraswat stated that, "Agni-III is already inducted. Its development has been completed and is under production." —"India to test-fire Agni-V by year-end," The Hindu, 3 June 2011, www.thehindu.com. 23 April 2011 The Indian Air Force issues a request for information (RFI) for long-range air-to-air missiles for deployment on its fighter aircraft. The missiles will allow the aircraft to shoot down targets without aerial combat. The missiles are expected to have ranges of over 100km. —"IAF to Procure Long-Range Missiles for its Fighters," The Tribune, 23 April 2011, www.tribuneindia.com. 19 March 2011 The Indian government's Cabinet Committee on Security clears induction of two regiments of Akash surface-to-air missiles for the Indian Army. The missile has a range of 25km. —"25 yrs in the making, Army inducts Akash," The Times of India, 19 March 2011, www.timesofindia.com. 15 March 2011 India's solid-propelled Advanced Air Defense (AAD) interceptor missile fails to launch during a test targeting a Prithvi missile. Initial analysis suggests that the target missile's deviation from its trajectory could have lead to coordination problems. —"India's Missile Defense Test Fails," Rediff.com, 15 March 2011," www.rediff.com. 13 March 2011 BrahMos Aerospace Chief Executive Officer A. Sivathanu Pillai says that the supersonic version of the BrahMos Related content is available on the website for the Nuclear Threat Initiative, www.nti.org. This material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, or agents. Copyright © 2011 by MIIS. cruise missile could be deployed on the fifth generation fighter aircraft that is being developed in cooperation with Russia. The air variant of the BrahMos will be tested in 2012, while the submarine version of the missile is scheduled to be tested by the end of 2011. —"BrahMos Underwater Test-Firing by Year-end," The Hindu, 13 March 2011, www.thehindu.com. 11 March 2011 The Prithvi-II nuclear-capable ballistic missile is successfully test fired. Propelled by twin liquid propulsion engines, the missile has a range of 350km with a payload of 500-1000kg. A Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) spokesman says that the missile features anti-ballistic missile systems and has "achieved single digit accuracy reaching close to zero circular error probability." —"Prithvi II, Dhanush Test-fired Successfully," The Times of India, 11 March 2011, www.timesofindia.com. 7 March 2011 The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully tests an interceptor missile against a modified Prithvi ballistic missile. According to V.K. Saraswat, Scientific Adviser to the Defense Minister, the test shows that "India has all the technologies and building blocks which can be used for anti-satellite missions." —"Capability to Neutralize Enemy Satellites Proved," The Hindu, 7 March 2011, www.thehindu.com; "Interceptor Missile Test-Fired Successfully," The Hindu, 7 March 2011, www.thehindu.com. 5 March 2011 BrahMos Aerospace Chief Executive Officer A. Sivathanu Pillai says trials for the air-launch version of the BrahMos cruise missile will begin in 2012. According to Pillai, the missile has been modified to fit into a Sukhoi fighter, notably the Su-30 MKI which has the ability for mid-air refueling. The missile's weight has been reduced to 2.5 tons, and several other modifications are also underway such as fire control and software. —"Trials of BrahMos Air version from 2012: Sivathanu Pillai," The Hindu, 5 March 2011, www.thehindu.com. 25 January 2011 The United States removes several state-owned Indian defense organizations from its Entity List in an easing of export control regulations. The companies include subsidiaries of the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Additionally, the U.S. Commerce Department transfers India to a group of countries in the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) that are part of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). This move acknowledges India's adherence to the regime. —Chidanand Rajghatta, "U.S. Removes ISRO, DRDO from export control list," The Times of India, 25 January 2011, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 28 November 2010 Sources in the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) say that the K-15 submarine-launched ballistic missile is currently in production. The missile has been renamed the "B-05." Additionally, a DRDO missile scientist says that the 5,000 km-range Agni-V ballistic missile is likely to be tested for the first time in 2011. —T.S. Subramanian, "Agni-II+ launch before December 10," The Hindu, 28 November 2010, www.thehindu.com. Related content is available on the website for the Nuclear Threat Initiative, www.nti.org. This material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, or agents. Copyright © 2011 by MIIS. 26 November 2010 The Strategic Forces Command successfully tests the 700 km-range Agni-I nuclear-capable ballistic missile off the coast of Orissa state. —"Nuke command tests Agni-I," The Telegraph, 26 November 2010, www.telegraphindia.com. 10 October 2010 The Director General of the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), V.K. Saraswat says that a modified variant of the Agni-II nuclear-capable ballistic missile, called "Agni-II Plus," will be launched in 2011. —Amruta Byatnal, "Agni-II Plus to be Launched in 2011: DRDO," The Hindu, 10 October 2010.