Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme: Overview

Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme: Overview

Question: IGMDP(Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme) has ended in 2008. The focus of the Indian defence sector is now on Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme. Provide an overview of this programme.

The Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme is aimed at developing multi-layered ballistic missile defence system for protecting India from missile attacks

• Development of anti ballistic missile system commended during 1999 as a deterrent to growing aggression by China and Pakistan

• The programme is a double tiered system of 2 interceptor missiles namely:

- Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) missile for high altitude interception, and
- Advanced Air Defence (AAD) Missile for lower altitude interception

• PAD was tested in November 2006 and AAD was tested in December 2007

• India is the fourth nation to have successfully developed an anti ballistic missile system after the US

• Close to 40 private and public companies are involved in the development of these systems

• Defence Research and Development Lab/DRDL has developed the mission control software for the AAD missile

- Research Centre, Imarat (RCI) developed the following
- Navigation, electromechanical
- Actuation systems and the
- Active radar seeker.

• Advanced System Laboratory (ASL) created the motors, jet vanes and structures for the AAD and PAD

• Propellants for the missile were supplied by High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).

Facts and Stats

• Phase 1 of the Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme is completed

• India is currently in Phase 2 of the Ballistic Missile Programme

• The Ballistic Missile Defence Programme will end in 2016

• It aims to have protection against missiles in the range of up to 5000 km