India surprised by Chinese fuss over Agni-V

The Indian defence establishment has been left baffled by a brouhaha being generated in China over the yet-to-be-tested Agni-V ballistic missile.

``It seems quite contrived,'' said a top official.

For one, Agni-V's first test is likely to take place only in end-2010 or early-2011. From there, it will take at least three years before the missile can be dubbed fully-operational since it will require four-five more tests, series production and user-trials by armed forces.

For another, the 5,000-km strike range of Agni-V pales in comparison to already-operational Chinese missiles like Dong Feng-31A, which can hit targets 11,200 km away, or even the JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missile with a reach beyond 7,200 km.

``China's missile and nuclear arsenal is leagues ahead of India, capable as it is of hitting any city in India. We can never compete. Our entire focus is on building only credible minimum deterrence against China, not active offensive capabilities,'' said the official.

Agni-V, much like the 3,500-km Agni-III, which has been successfully tested a couple of times, has been designed in keeping with this strategy. The already-inducted Prithvi (150-350-km), Agni-I (700-km) and Agni-II (2,000-km) are more Pakistan-specific in nature.

As earlier reported by TOI, the solid-fuelled Agni-V, for which the government has sanctioned around Rs 2,500 crore, will be a canister-launch missile system to ensure it has the requisite operational flexibility to be fired from any part of the country.

The ongoing work on Agni-V basically revolves around incorporating a third composite stage in the two-stage 16.7-metre tall Agni-III, along with some advanced technologies like ring laser gyroscope and accelerator for navigation and guidance.

Though slightly short of true ICBMs, which have ranges in excess of 5,500 km, Agni-Vs will come in special storage-cum-launch canisters, making it much easier to store them for long periods without maintenance as well as to handle and transport.

So, conceivably, Agni-V will be capable of being swiftly moved closer to the border with China to substantially enhance its strike range into the country. What has exercised China is the fact this will bring even its northern-most city, Habin, within the missile's strike envelope.

Moreover, DRDO is also developing MIRV (multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles) warheads for the Agni missiles. An MIRV payload basically is a bunch of several nuclear warheads carried on a single missile, which can be programmed to hit different targets separated from each other. Given this, even ballistic missile defence systems can be overwhelmed by MIRVs.

This fits in with India's nuclear doctrine, which holds that even though there will be no first-use, ``nuclear retaliation to a first strike will be massive and designed to inflict unacceptable damage''.

Assam Govt Concerned Over Chinese Dam on Bramhaputra

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said his government is seriously concerned over reports of China constructing a dam on Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, the source of river Brahmaputra.

"The Assam government is seriously concerned over the construction of a dam by China on river Yarlung Tsangpo. We apprehend it will affect Assam and dry up river Brahmaputra and other water resources downstream."

Stating that he would meet the prime minister and the union water resources minister for taking up the issue with Beijing, Gogoi said, "Earlier I had taken it up with Manmohan Singh who then raised the issue with his Chinese counterpart. China then denied that the dam would affect Assam or any other part of India."

The chief minister said the state would set up an expert committee to go into the necessary measures to be taken in the eventuality of China constructing the dam. "We will also involve the IIT here if necessary."

Construction of a dam on the 1625-km Brahmaputra in the Tibet Autonomous Region is thought to have serious impact on the socio-economic condition of the people in Assam, where the river flows for 918 km before falling into the Indian ocean.

India launches nuclear submarine

India has launched its first nuclear-powered submarine, becoming only the sixth country in the world to do so.

The 6,000 tonne Arihant was launched by India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a ceremony on the south-east coast.

It was built entirely in India with Russian assistance and a second one is due to be constructed shortly.

It will undergo trials over the next few years before being deployed and will be able to launch missiles at targets 700km (437 miles) away.

Until now, only the US, Russia, France, Britain and China had the capability to build nuclear submarines.

'China threat'

Launching the INS Arihant, Mr Singh said India had no aggressive designs on anyone.

Indian workers (L) paint the conning tower of the INS Kursura, on display as a part of the INS Kurusura Submarine Museum, at Rama Krishna Beach in Visakhapatnam, some 800 kilometers from Hyderabad, on July 25, 2009.
India has relied mainly on Russian-built submarines until now

But the sea was becoming increasingly relevant to India's security concerns, he added.

"It is incumbent upon us to take all measures necessary to safeguard our country and to keep pace with technological advancements worldwide," he told the ceremony in the port city of Visakhapatnam.

The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in Delhi says until now India has been able to launch ballistic missiles only from the air and from land.

Nuclear submarines will add a third dimension to its defence capability.

When it is eventually deployed, the top-secret Arihant will be able to carry 100 sailors on board.

It will be able to stay under water for long periods and thereby increase its chances of remaining undetected.

By contrast, India's ageing conventional diesel-powered submarines need to constantly surface to recharge their batteries.

Our correspondent says the launching of the Arihant is a clear sign that India is looking to blunt the threat from China which has a major naval presence in the region.

Gorshkov project sole irritant in Indo-Russian ties: Medvedev

MOSCOW (AFP) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday angrily rebuked a shipyard chief for delays to repairs of a Soviet-era aircraft carrier set for delivery to India, urging work to be completed quickly.

Television pictures showed Medvedev adopting a tough style reminiscent of his predecessor and mentor Vladimir Putin as he rebuked the head of the Sevmash shipyard on the White Sea in Russia's northern port of Severodvinsk.

"We must finish it and sell it. Anything else would set a very poor precedent," Medvedev told the director of Sevmash, Nikolai Kalistratov.

"We should consider this as a first and very trying experience," Medvedev said in comments broadcast on state television.

Last year, India and Russia ended a protracted dispute over the cost to modernize the 44,570-tonne aircraft carrier, the Admiral Gorshkov, which will be sold to the Indian navy for an undisclosed price in 2011.

In front of television cameras, Medvedev scolded Kalistratov for agreeing commitments that the shipyard had been unable to fulfill.

"It was a mistake," said Kalistratov, sighing loudly. "There is still a lot of work to do. It's a difficult business."

"Of course it was a mistake!" replied Medvedev, laughing sarcastically.

"Why did you sign? As a result everyone has to make excuses -- you in front of me, and me in front of my Indian colleagues," said Medvedev.

Putin has made televised admonishment of wayward officials one of his trademarks and last month publicly rebuked Russia's former richest man Oleg Deripaska in an extraordinary scene that saw him throw a pen at the oligarch.

Until now, Medvedev has usually been more restrained in his television appearances.

Russian amrs export firm Rosoboronexport in 2004 signed a deal to refurbish the 30-year-old carrier for 970 million dollars, but last year demanded India pay an additional 1.2 billion dollars.

Since resolving the pricing dispute, India sent about 100 trained personnel to join the some 1,200 Russian engineers at the Sevmash shipyard working on the massive vessel, according to Indian officials.

Medvedev later told a meeting of naval chiefs that the project had to be finished on time in line with the basic timetable agreed by the two sides, RIA-Novosti news agency reported.

Russia accounted for 70 percent of Indian arms supplies in 2008, but late deliveries and commercial disagreements have led New Delhi to turn to suppliers such as Israel, Britain, France and the United States.

Russia is due to supply India this year with a nuclear submarine, the Nerpa, in which 20 people died after a toxic gas accident during a trial in 2008.

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