Cheetah786
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While the United States beats the war drums over North Korea and Irans long-ranged nuclear armed missiles which they dont even possess Washington remains curiously silent about the arrival of the worlds newest member of the big nuke club India.
In January, Delhi revealed a new, 800km-ranged submarine launched missile (SLBM) designated K-15. Twelve of these strategic, nuclear-armed missiles will be carried by Indias first of a class of domestically built nuclear-powered submarine, Arihant. India is also working on another SLBM, K-5, with a range of some 2, 800km.
These new nuclear subs and their SLBMs will give India the capability to strike many high-value targets around the globe. Equally important, they complete Indias nuclear triad of nuclear weapons delivered by aircraft, missiles, and now sea that will be invulnerable to a decapitating first strike from either Pakistan or China.
Last February, it was revealed that India is fast developing a new, long-ranged, three-stage ballistic missile, Agni-VI. This powerful missile is said to be able to carry up to ten independently targetable nuclear warheads, known as MIRVs.
Agni-VIs range is believed to be at least 10,000km,
putting all of China, Japan, Australia, and Russia in its range. A new 15,000km missile capable of hitting North America is also in the works under cover of Indias civilian space program. India is also developing accurate cruise missiles and miniaturized nuclear warheads to fit into their small diameter.
These important strategic developments will put India ahead of other nuclear powers France, Britain, North Korea, and Pakistan, about equal in striking power to Israel and China, and not too far behind the United States and Russia.
Delhi says it needs a nuclear triad because of the growing threat of China, whose conventional and nuclear forces are being rapidly modernized.
This writer has been reporting on the nuclear arms race between India and China since the late 1990s. China has replaced Pakistan as Indias primary nuclear threat. Even so, Indian and Pakistani nuclear forces remain on a frightening hair-trigger alert within only a 3-5 minute warning time of enemy attack, making the Kashmir cease-fire line (or Line of Control) the worlds most dangerous border.
The Bush administration began quietly aiding Indias nuclear program with nuclear fuel when India had a shortage of fissile material. Some advanced technology from the US and Indias second largest arms supplier, Israel, has also aided Delhis nuclear and missile delivery programs.
India, as I wrote years ago after one of its big nuclear tests, is feeling its nuclear Viagra. Most Indians take great pride in their strategic nuclear programs as their way into the great powers exclusive nuclear club.
But not all Indians are so delighted, particularly those on the left who ask how their nation, with one third of all the worlds poorest people, can afford to spend tens of billions on advanced weapons, including nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, and ICBMs.
According to the World Bank, 32.7% of Indians subsist below the international poverty level of $1.25 daily, and 68.7% on less than $2 daily. Aid agencies say 33% of Indian children are malnourished.
Delhi is making steady progress in reducing poverty and disease, and in trying to break down the pernicious caste system that dooms a quarter of Indians to lives of misery.
This, critics claim, is no time to be posturing as a world power when Mother India still has feet of clay.
The Bush administration was totally unaware that Indias advent as a major nuclear power whose weapons might one day challenge the United States. Bush & Co. wanted India to bulk up as a competitor to China, a permanent enemy of the Republican hard right. Todays Republicans think similarly.
India is a great democracy where politicians, not generals, make policy. She is a staunch friend of the United States, where over one million Indians now live. True enough, but we have seen there are no permanent friends in world politics, only permanent interests.
One day mighty India may vie for influence with the US for Mideast and Central Asian oil, and control of the Indian Oceans vital sea lanes. But not today, as all eyes are on pipsqueak North Korea and dilapidated Iran.
copyright Eric S. Margolis 2013
My name is not Eric S. Margolis and he is not a pakistani.I didn't write this so before Trolls jump to personal attacks lets get that out of the way.
In January, Delhi revealed a new, 800km-ranged submarine launched missile (SLBM) designated K-15. Twelve of these strategic, nuclear-armed missiles will be carried by Indias first of a class of domestically built nuclear-powered submarine, Arihant. India is also working on another SLBM, K-5, with a range of some 2, 800km.
These new nuclear subs and their SLBMs will give India the capability to strike many high-value targets around the globe. Equally important, they complete Indias nuclear triad of nuclear weapons delivered by aircraft, missiles, and now sea that will be invulnerable to a decapitating first strike from either Pakistan or China.
Last February, it was revealed that India is fast developing a new, long-ranged, three-stage ballistic missile, Agni-VI. This powerful missile is said to be able to carry up to ten independently targetable nuclear warheads, known as MIRVs.
Agni-VIs range is believed to be at least 10,000km,
putting all of China, Japan, Australia, and Russia in its range. A new 15,000km missile capable of hitting North America is also in the works under cover of Indias civilian space program. India is also developing accurate cruise missiles and miniaturized nuclear warheads to fit into their small diameter.
These important strategic developments will put India ahead of other nuclear powers France, Britain, North Korea, and Pakistan, about equal in striking power to Israel and China, and not too far behind the United States and Russia.
Delhi says it needs a nuclear triad because of the growing threat of China, whose conventional and nuclear forces are being rapidly modernized.
This writer has been reporting on the nuclear arms race between India and China since the late 1990s. China has replaced Pakistan as Indias primary nuclear threat. Even so, Indian and Pakistani nuclear forces remain on a frightening hair-trigger alert within only a 3-5 minute warning time of enemy attack, making the Kashmir cease-fire line (or Line of Control) the worlds most dangerous border.
The Bush administration began quietly aiding Indias nuclear program with nuclear fuel when India had a shortage of fissile material. Some advanced technology from the US and Indias second largest arms supplier, Israel, has also aided Delhis nuclear and missile delivery programs.
India, as I wrote years ago after one of its big nuclear tests, is feeling its nuclear Viagra. Most Indians take great pride in their strategic nuclear programs as their way into the great powers exclusive nuclear club.
But not all Indians are so delighted, particularly those on the left who ask how their nation, with one third of all the worlds poorest people, can afford to spend tens of billions on advanced weapons, including nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, and ICBMs.
According to the World Bank, 32.7% of Indians subsist below the international poverty level of $1.25 daily, and 68.7% on less than $2 daily. Aid agencies say 33% of Indian children are malnourished.
Delhi is making steady progress in reducing poverty and disease, and in trying to break down the pernicious caste system that dooms a quarter of Indians to lives of misery.
This, critics claim, is no time to be posturing as a world power when Mother India still has feet of clay.
The Bush administration was totally unaware that Indias advent as a major nuclear power whose weapons might one day challenge the United States. Bush & Co. wanted India to bulk up as a competitor to China, a permanent enemy of the Republican hard right. Todays Republicans think similarly.
India is a great democracy where politicians, not generals, make policy. She is a staunch friend of the United States, where over one million Indians now live. True enough, but we have seen there are no permanent friends in world politics, only permanent interests.
One day mighty India may vie for influence with the US for Mideast and Central Asian oil, and control of the Indian Oceans vital sea lanes. But not today, as all eyes are on pipsqueak North Korea and dilapidated Iran.
copyright Eric S. Margolis 2013
My name is not Eric S. Margolis and he is not a pakistani.I didn't write this so before Trolls jump to personal attacks lets get that out of the way.
. Anyhow US can't ask anything about india as long as they are seeing china as their threat.And also we will not stop our nuc.weapon production as long as china and pak having it.
