Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme

Second phase of Anti-ballistic Missile defense test with AD-1 missile

The Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme is an initiative to develop and deploy a multi-layered ballistic missile defence system to protect India from ballistic missile attacks. It was launched in 2000 after the Kargil War by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.[1] Testing was carried out and continuing as of 2006, and the system was expected to be operational within four years according to the head of the country's missiles development programme, Vijay Kumar Saraswat.[2][3]

Introduced in light of the ballistic missile threat from Pakistan and China, it is a double-tiered system consisting of two land and sea-based interceptor missiles, namely the Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) missile for High Altitude interception, and the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) Missile for lower altitude interception. The two-tiered shield should be able to intercept any incoming missile launched from 5,000 kilometres away.[4] The system also includes an overlapping network of early warning and tracking radars, as well as command and control posts.[5]

The PAD was tested in November 2006, followed by the AAD in December 2007. With the test of the PAD missile, India became the fourth country to have successfully developed an anti-ballistic missile system, after the United States, Russia, and Israel.[6] The system has undergone several tests but system is yet to be officially commissioned.

As per reports emerged in January 2020, the first phase of BMD program is now complete. The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are awaiting for Government of India approval to install the missile shield around national capital which will take three to four years for installation post approval.[7]

  1. ^ Sagar, Pradip R (11 September 2021). "Explained: India's Ballistic Missile Defence programme, developed by DRDO". The Week. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  2. ^ Ratliff, Ben (4 December 2006). "India expects to use missile interception system as a weapon, top scientist says". International Herald Tribune - Asia-Pacific. Archived from the original on 9 December 2006.
  3. ^ "India developing new missiles Towards destroying hostile missiles". The Hindu. 3 December 2006. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  4. ^ "India tests interceptor missile". AFP. 6 March 2009. Archived from the original on 10 March 2009.
  5. ^ "India's Ballistic Missile Defence system: All you need to know". The Times of India. 12 February 2017. Archived from the original on 12 February 2017.
  6. ^ Ratliff, Ben. "India successfully tests missile interceptor". International Herald Tribune. Archived from the original on 10 March 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  7. ^ Philip, Snehesh Alex (8 January 2020). "India's ballistic missile shield ready, IAF & DRDO to seek govt nod to protect Delhi". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 8 January 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2020.