India’s Agni-5 Missile to Get 7,500 kg Warhead for Deep Underground Strike Capability

India has started developing a new class of high-energy missiles with bunker-buster capabilities that can penetrate hard, hardened, or even underground targets.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is said to be developing a modified version of the Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile that could penetrate the reinforced bunkers being used by potential adversaries, according to India Today.

Also Read: ‘Bones Kept for Rituals’: Kerala Live‑in Couple Arrested After Two Newborn Deaths

This comes off the heels of recent airstrikes launched by the United States with Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs, which are considered bunker-buster weapons, against Iranian nuclear targets.

While the current Agni-5 missile has a range of over 5,000 km and is capable of being fitted with conventional warheads, the upgraded version would reportedly carry a 7,500 kg bunker-buster warhead.

The missile is designed to target enemy missiles and installations buried deep in reinforced bunkers made of thick concrete. Even if enemy targets are buried 80 to 100 metres underground, the upgraded missile will reportedly be able to penetrate those targets and completely destroy them.

The US on June 22, 2023 attacked with surprise strikes on a key underground uranium enrichment facility located at Fordow, Iran, along with additional nuclear facilities located in Isfahan and Natanz. The US used B-2 bomber aircraft to strike the Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities with dozens of bunker-buster bombs from more than 15,000 feet in altitude.

Also Read: WBJEE Result 2025 Live Updates: How to Check West Bengal JEE Scores at wbjeeb.nic.in

India is looking to compare to the capabilities of the United States and then to surpass that capability. While the US has continued to rely on large, costly, bomber aircraft, India has plans to design it's bunker buster to be delivered using missiles.

The US-bunker buster bombs are large, expensive, and have considerable limitations to their delivery. India looks to develop this missile with a far superior model both by affordability and with air or at rail but in a much faster response time.

The report went on to say that two new variants of the Agni-5 missiles are being developed.

The first would have an airburst warhead for "above-ground" targets, while the later would be a deep-penetrating missile intended to go deeper into the hardened subterranean enemy infrastructure.

Also Read: The New Language of Queer Cinema: 3 Indian Shorts Rewriting Representation This Pride