India is stepping up its strategic deterrence game with a powerful new variant of the Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), designed specifically to destroy heavily fortified underground enemy bunkers, according to a recent report by India Today. The missile is under development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and represents one of the boldest advancements in India’s missile arsenal.
The upgraded Agni-5 is not just about range or speed—it’s about precision deep-earth penetration, a capability that until now has largely been the domain of advanced Western militaries like the United States.
What’s Changing in Agni-5?
Currently, India’s Agni-5 has a proven range of over 5,000 km and carries conventional warheads. But the new variant aims to do much more.
- It will reportedly carry a 7,500–8,000 kg bunker-buster warhead
- Designed to penetrate 80 to 100 meters of reinforced concrete or rock underground
- Will target subterranean military installations, missile silos, and command bunkers
- Expected to operate at hypersonic speeds, ranging from Mach 8 to Mach 20
- Range will be scaled down to about 2,500 km to accommodate the heavier warhead
This positions India not just as a deterrent power but a credible force in tactical underground warfare—capable of neutralizing deeply buried enemy assets without relying on manned aircraft or aerial bombers.
Taking Notes from U.S. Airstrikes on Iran
The move comes just days after the United States executed a surprise operation on June 22, using Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) to strike Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz. The strikes were conducted using stealth B-2 bombers, which dropped bunker-busting bombs to cripple Iran’s underground uranium enrichment infrastructure.
India appears to be drawing inspiration from this strategy—but with a twist. Unlike the U.S., which relies on expensive bomber aircraft, India is opting for a missile-based approach, which offers:
- Greater deployment flexibility
- Faster response time
- Cost-efficiency
- Less reliance on air superiority in hostile territory
This could represent a paradigm shift in how underground targets are engaged in modern warfare.
Two Variants in the Works
According to the report, two specialized Agni-5 variants are being developed:
- Airburst Variant – Designed to detonate above the ground, ideal for soft or semi-hardened targets like radar stations, military camps, and surface command centers.
- Deep-Penetration Variant – Engineered to drill into hardened, multi-layered bunkers before exploding. This is India’s answer to any adversary’s underground nuclear or missile storage site.
A Strategic Edge in the Indo-Pacific and Beyond
This development sends a strong message—not just to India’s immediate adversaries like China and Pakistan, but also to the wider international community. In the face of rising regional tensions and unpredictable global flashpoints, India is clearly working to diversify its deterrence toolkit and be ready for any military contingency.
Strategic experts believe this will give India the ability to:
- Disrupt enemy leadership bunkers in times of war
- Neutralize hidden missile launch sites before they are used
- Target underground command-and-control centers in case of a preemptive or retaliatory strike
DRDO’s Role and Future Roadmap
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has not officially commented on the development timeline, but sources suggest that prototype testing could begin as early as 2026.
The project aligns with India’s larger defence goals:
- Modernizing missile infrastructure
- Indigenizing advanced military technologies
- Ensuring credible second-strike capabilities
With these new weapons, India will be better positioned in strategic forums like BRICS, QUAD, and G20, asserting not just its economic might, but also its military maturity.
Why This Matters
India’s move into the bunker-buster missile domain is significant because:
- It closes a key gap in India’s strategic strike capabilities
- Offers greater autonomy and flexibility in high-stakes military scenarios
- Puts India on a competitive footing with nations like the U.S., China, and Russia
- Signals a technological leap in India’s missile design and payload capacity
