India's K-4 Missile A Nuclear Shot Across China's Bow

12/1/2024 10:22:13 PM

(MENAFN- Asia Times) India's strategic nuclear arsenal took a bold leap forward with the first operational trial of a new submarine-launched ballistic missile, setting the stage for intensified rivalry with China and Pakistan in the Indian Ocean.

Last month, Indian Research Defence Wing (IDRW) reported that the INS Arihant, India's first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), successfully tested the K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).

The K-4 SLBM has a range of approximately 3,500 kilometers and represents a substantial upgrade over the K-15 missile, which has a range of only 750 kilometers. The IDRW report notes the trial marked a crucial step in integrating long-range SLBMs into India's underwater strategic forces, enhancing the nation's nuclear second-strike capability.

The K-4's tests were conducted from submerged platforms, ensuring the missile's effectiveness in realistic underwater launch scenarios, the IDRW report said. The successful trial underscores India's commitment to maintaining a credible minimum deterrent while adhering to its no-first-use nuclear doctrine.

The K-5 SLBM, which is under development and has a range of over 5,000 kilometers, will further bolster India's strategic capabilities.

In a September 2024 article for the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, Hans Kristensen and other writers mention that the K-4's capabilities are similar to those of the Agni-III intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).

Kristensen and others say that India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) claims the K-4 reaches“near zero circular error probability,” although they view that statement skeptically. They assess that the K-4 can hit all of Pakistan and most of China from protected bastions in the northern Bay of Bengal .

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