SOURCE: AFI
In a bold call to action, Vijainder K Thakur, a retired Indian Air Force (IAF) Jaguar pilot, has advocated for India to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with a range exceeding 10,000 km, equipped with hypersonic Maneuverable Reentry Vehicles (MaRVs). Thakur’s proposal, shared in response to recent geopolitical tensions, underscores the need for India to bolster its strategic deterrent capabilities to counter potential adversaries and evade advanced Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) systems. His remarks come in the wake of provocative statements by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, who threatened economic sanctions against India, China, and Russia over their stances on the Ukraine conflict, describing a proposed U.S. sanctions bill as an “economic bunker buster.”
Writing on X, Thakur emphasized the urgency of developing a long-range missile capable of striking targets from any direction, stating, “If we don’t develop it soon, our deterrent strike capability will become absolute rubbish — and against some potential adversaries, it already is.” His comments reflect growing concerns within India’s defense community about the need to modernize the country’s strategic arsenal to address evolving global threats, particularly in light of advancements in BMD systems deployed by nations like the United States and China.
India’s current missile arsenal includes the Agni-V ICBM, with a range of approximately 5,000–8,000 km, capable of carrying conventional and nuclear warheads. However, Thakur argues that this range is insufficient to deter adversaries with advanced BMD systems, such as the U.S. Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) or China’s HQ-19 and DN-series interceptors. Hypersonic MaRVs, which can maneuver at speeds exceeding Mach 5 during reentry, offer a solution by evading missile defenses through unpredictable flight paths and low-altitude trajectories. Such a capability would allow India to strike distant targets, including in North America or Europe, with precision and penetration, significantly enhancing its strategic deterrence.
Thakur’s remarks were spurred by Senator Graham’s threat, made during a recent statement on U.S. policy toward the Ukraine conflict. Graham warned, “We are preparing to pass a Russia sanctions bill that is an economic bunker buster against Russia, India, and China.” The statement, perceived as warmongering by some, has heightened concerns in India about being targeted by Western sanctions despite its neutral stance on Ukraine and its focus on strategic autonomy. Thakur’s advocacy for a 10,000 km ICBM reflects a broader sentiment that India must prepare for a multipolar world where economic and military coercion from global powers could threaten national security.
The development of a missile with hypersonic MaRVs would position India among a select group of nations with advanced strategic capabilities, alongside the U.S., Russia, and China. India has already made strides in hypersonic technology, with the DRDO successfully testing a Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) in recent years. Integrating MaRVs into a long-range ICBM would build on this foundation, requiring advancements in propulsion, guidance systems, and warhead design. Such a missile could target critical infrastructure or military assets of potential adversaries, ensuring a credible second-strike capability in the event of a nuclear conflict.
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