Defence Against Offence: India Is Building Up Its BMD Systems

The experience gained from the development and operation of the BrahMos Mach-3 supersonic cruise missile by the Indian armed forces will be an added advantage not available to other nations in the region. As a result, India could likely have operational hypersonic weapons capability before the end of the decade, explains C Santhosh

- C Santhosh

Development of hypersonic offensive weapons is now significantly advanced in Russia, the USA and China, with Russia having the first-mover advantage. Australia, Japan and the European Union all have civilian or military hypersonic research programmes already in place and are likely to have such capability before the end of the decade.

India is now speeding up efforts in this arena with the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) investing heavily in hypersonic research. The experience gained from the development and operation of the BrahMos Mach-3 supersonic cruise missile by the Indian armed forces will be an added advantage not available to other nations in the region. As a result, India could likely have operational hypersonic weapons capability before the end of the decade.

With hypersonic weapons capability still some time away, Indian efforts to have a credible Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system in place are being speeded up and the Russian S-400 system will play a key role here. Russia has already been requested to speed up deliveries of the five S-400 Triumf air-defence missile systems. Deliveries are to commence later this year and the 5th and final S-400 system will be delivered in 2025. The importance of the S-400 deal signed with Russia in 2018 can be gauged from the decision taken, to proceed with the acquisition despite strong opposition from the USA.