India’s missile arsenal in 2025 reflects a significant leap in strategic and tactical capabilities, driven by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and buoyed by advanced technological collaborations, notably with Russia. This growing arsenal is critical in India’s national security and deterrence strategy amid evolving regional threats.
India’s guided missile development began earnestly in the 1980s, focusing on self-reliance post multiple conflicts with China and Pakistan. This led to the operational deployment of the Agni and Prithvi missile series, firmly establishing India’s ballistic missile deterrent capability.
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The Prithvi series comprises short-range surface-to-surface missiles with ranges from 150 km to 750 km, capable of carrying conventional or nuclear warheads. The naval variant, Dhanush, extends strike capability to 350 km, with a submarine-launched version named Sagarika.
The Akash missile system, a key medium-range surface-to-air missile capable of Mach 2.5 speeds, currently protects Indian airspace with an engagement range of up to 30 km, soon to be extended to nearly 80 km with the Akash-NG modernization.
The Agni series represents the backbone of India’s long-range strategic strike capability. Agni-I and Agni-IV cover distances from 1,200 km to 4,000 km respectively, with the Agni-V marking a major advancement as a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with MIRV capability, reaching over 7,000 km and warheads up to 3,000-4,000 kg. The Agni-P variant is a medium-range missile optimized for countering regional threats with a 2,000 km range.
Significantly, DRDO is advancing the Agni-V missile with a bunker-buster warhead variant weighing 7,500 kg, designed for deep penetration and precise strikes on fortified targets. Furthermore, the Agni-VI missile is under development, expected to be the most advanced, featuring up to 10 MIRVs and MaRV technology, with an estimated range between 8,000 to 12,000 km. Agni-VI will also be launch-capable from both land and submarines, enhancing India’s second-strike capability.
India’s cruise missile capabilities are embodied by the BrahMos missile, a supersonic cruise missile jointly developed with Russia. With a range up to 400 km and speeds of Mach 2.8, BrahMos can be launched from various platforms including land, sea, and air.
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The BrahMos-NG, a newer lighter version, is being integrated with more Indian fighter aircraft including the TEJAS. Looking ahead, the hypersonic BrahMos-II is expected to reach speeds up to Mach 8 with an extended range of 1,500 km, powered by an indigenous scramjet engine tested for over 1,000 seconds. This missile bridges the gap between cruise and ballistic missiles, offering high speed and maneuverability to counter advanced defences.
The Nirbhay missile adds an all-weather, subsonic long-range strike option with a versatile launch profile that includes land, air, and submarine variants. It extends the strike range up to 1,500 km and supplements the BrahMos series for precision strikes at longer distances.
India’s missile development strategy hinges on combining range, speed, precision, and survivability while tackling evolving threats and sophisticated enemy defences. Technologies like Maneuverable Re-entry Vehicles (MaRVs), advanced guidance, countermeasures (flares, chaff, jamming), and combined-cycle propulsion systems (scramjet/ramjet with rocket boosters) are key focuses. These advancements enable sustained hypersonic speeds of Mach 6-8, with flexible mid-course maneuvers rivaling conventional ballistic missiles.
Additionally, India’s commitment to canisterized storage, mobile launchers, and networked missile systems improves operational readiness and enhances deterrence credibility. The integration of India’s strategic missile forces under the Strategic Forces Command ensures stringent control and effective deployment of nuclear-capable assets under the No First Use doctrine.
India’s hypersonic missile capabilities have made a significant leap, positioning it among a select group of countries with advanced hypersonic weapon technology, alongside Russia, China, and the United States.
India’s Hypersonic Capabilities
India has successfully tested long-range hypersonic missiles capable of speeds around Mach 6 to Mach 8, such as the ET-LDHCM missile, which can reach speeds of up to Mach 8 (approximately 11,000 km/h) with a range of about 1,500 km. This missile uses a scramjet engine based on an air-breathing concept, allowing higher speeds than traditional cruise missiles like BrahMos (Mach 3).
The Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed capabilities to sustain missile flight at extreme temperatures (~2000°C), an advanced feature previously achieved only by a few nations. This includes cutting-edge thermal barrier coatings and endothermic fuel as coolants, enhancing missile performance.
India’s hypersonic missiles exhibit advanced maneuverability, including mid-flight course corrections, which make interception difficult by current missile defence systems. The flight-trials conducted verified terminal maneuverability and pinpoint accuracy.
India is actively developing hypersonic cruise missiles and anti-ship variants as part of its strategic deterrence and regional security posture, aiming to counter challenges from China and Pakistan.
AGNI-VI ICBM: Potential Strategic Implications (Future Impact)
India’s development of the Agni-VI missile holds substantial strategic implications for the country’s defence and geopolitical posture, marking a significant future impact in several domains:
Extended Range And Global Reach: Agni-VI is expected to have an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) range of 9,000 to 12,000 kilometres with a 3-ton nuclear payload, and potentially 14,000 to 16,000 kilometres with a lighter 1.5-ton payload. This extended range vastly expands India’s strike capability, covering regions across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, effectively reaching at least four major global capitals. Such reach would enhance India’s influence and serve as a powerful strategic deterrent against any adversaries well beyond its immediate neighbourhood.
Multiple Independently Targetable Re-Entry Vehicles (MIRV) and Manoeuvrable Re-Entry Vehicles (MaRV): Agni-VI is anticipated to carry up to 10 MIRV warheads, enabling it to strike multiple targets simultaneously or saturate enemy missile defences with multiple warheads from a single missile launch. The presence of MaRV technology allows for evasive manoeuvres during re-entry, making it more difficult to intercept. This increases the missile’s survivability and effectiveness in a potential conflict scenario, thereby amplifying India’s nuclear deterrence posture.
Enhanced Nuclear Deterrence And Strategic Stability: The deployment of Agni-VI would significantly bolster India’s nuclear deterrence capabilities by establishing a stronger second-strike capability. Its ability to target distant adversaries, including ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), aircraft carriers, and naval assets in remote oceans, complicates enemy strategic calculations and enhances India’s overall security architecture.
Technological Advancements And Operational Readiness: Agni-VI’s design incorporates advanced guidance technologies such as inertial navigation systems with ring laser gyroscopes, optional augmentation by India’s regional navigation satellite system (IRNSS), and terminal guidance features like radar scene correlation for improved accuracy. Moreover, the missile is expected to be road-mobile and cannisterised, reducing launch response time drastically to just a few minutes, thus increasing its operational resilience and survivability against pre-emptive strikes.
Geopolitical And Diplomatic Influence: Possessing a credible, MIRV-capable ICBM with global reach elevates India’s stature as a major power military-wise. The strategic shield formed by Agni-V and Agni-VI enhances India’s bargaining power in international diplomacy and may embolden India’s position in global nuclear non-proliferation dialogues and regional security forums. The development may trigger strategic recalibrations in the region, possibly intensifying arms races with neighbours, especially China and Pakistan. It may raise concerns regarding strategic stability in South Asia while also drawing reactions from global powers wary of expanded missile capabilities in the region.
Agni-VI is poised to be a force multiplier for India’s strategic deterrent, vastly extending reach, survivability, and destructive capability. It strengthens India’s capacity to deter multiple adversaries simultaneously, supports second-strike assurances, and heightens its defence posture on a global scale, while also carrying geopolitical weight with implications for regional security dynamics and international diplomacy.
Through indigenous development and strategic partnerships, India is cementing its status as a major global missile power by advancing its ballistic and cruise missile arsenals with cutting-edge hypersonic and deep-penetration capabilities. These efforts fortify India’s defence posture, strategic deterrence, and regional influence well into the 2030s and beyond.
IDN (With Agency Inputs)
Agency
