SOURCE: AFI
In a significant revelation, Lt Gen P R Shankar (Retd), a noted defence expert and former artillery officer of the Indian Army, has highlighted the strategic importance of India’s newly developed BM-04 missile system, describing it as a “China-specific” weapon designed to target People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces stationed in the Tibetan Plateau. The retired general emphasized that the hypersonic nature of the BM-04 makes it a formidable weapon, capable of penetrating even the most advanced Chinese air defence systems deployed in the region.
The Tibetan Plateau, often referred to as the “Roof of the World,” has emerged as a critical theatre in the ongoing India-China military standoff, particularly along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Over the past decade, China has significantly bolstered its military infrastructure in the region, including the deployment of a dense network of air defence systems. These include advanced surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems like the HQ-9, HQ-16, and possibly even the S-400, acquired from Russia. This multi-layered air defence network poses a significant challenge to the Indian Air Force (IAF), as penetrating such heavily guarded airspace with conventional fighter jets or traditional surface-to-surface missiles (SSMs) carries a high risk of interception.
Lt Gen Shankar noted that the high-altitude terrain of the Tibetan Plateau, combined with China’s sophisticated air defence systems, creates a formidable barrier for India’s conventional aerial and missile operations. “The Tibetan Plateau has a very dense air defence system in place, which is very difficult for IAF jets to penetrate. Normal surface-to-surface missiles might be more vulnerable to interception,” he stated. This underscores the need for a specialized weapon system capable of evading or overwhelming these defences—a role the BM-04 missile system appears designed to fulfill.
The BM-04 missile system, according to Lt Gen Shankar, is a hypersonic missile specifically developed to address the unique challenges posed by China’s military buildup in the Tibetan Plateau. Hypersonic weapons, which travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound), are characterized by their high velocity, unpredictable flight paths, and ability to manoeuvre mid-flight. These attributes make them exceptionally difficult to detect, track, and intercept, even for the most advanced air defence systems.
“Due to its hypersonic genesis, the BM-04 missile system will be difficult to intercept, and even the best of the Chinese air defence systems won’t be able to counter it effectively,” Lt Gen Shankar remarked. This capability is particularly significant given the dense and multi-layered air defence architecture China has established in the region. The BM-04’s speed and manoeuvrability could allow it to strike critical PLA targets—such as command and control centres, missile batteries, or logistics hubs—with a high degree of precision and minimal risk of being shot down.
The development and potential deployment of the BM-04 missile system signal India’s intent to maintain a credible deterrence posture against China, particularly in the context of the ongoing border tensions along the LAC. The system’s ability to target PLA assets in the Tibetan Plateau could serve as a powerful counterbalance to China’s military buildup in the region, ensuring that India retains the upper hand in any future conflict scenario.
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