India plans 5,000-km submarine-launched ballistic missile

Encouraged by the successful test firing of submarine-launched K-4 missile, which is ready for induction, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) now plans to develop a 5,000 km-range submarine-launched platform to match the surface-to-surface Agni-V missile, Hindustan Times reported.

Quoting senior naval officers, the report said that the 5,000 km-range submarine-launched ballistic missile would be part of the K-series label that would cover Asia, parts of Africa, Europe and Indo-Pacific including the South China Sea.

The report said the 5,000km-range ballistic missile will match Agni-V in range with a potent destruction capacity. When developed, the missile will induct India in the prestigious group of US, Russia and China who have similar nuclear submarines.

“While we have the capacity to build a longer range nuclear missile of intercontinental range, the final decision lies with the government. And no such sanction has been either sought or approved,” HT quoted a senior official as saying.

Meanwhile, the 3,500 km-range K-4 missile which has been tested twice off the coast of Visakhapatnam, is developed with the required parameters and is ready to be inducted to INS Arihant class of nuclear submarines.

It would be an upgrade in INS Arihant which currently has B-05 nuclear missiles with a range of 750 km. The missile will bring almost all of Pakistan and several parts of China within its reach.