In a significant stride towards strengthening its conventional strike capabilities, India is developing a new variant of the Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile, designed to carry one of the world’s largest conventional warheads.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is spearheading the project, which will see the modified Agni-5 missile equipped with a 7,500-kg deep-penetration “bunker-buster” warhead, capable of striking hardened underground facilities up to 100 metres deep. This move comes amid global security shifts, notably the recent U.S. deployment of GBU-57/A Massive Ordnance Penetrators.
Unlike its nuclear-armed predecessor, the new Agni-5 variant will be a conventional missile, with a range of approximately 2,500 km. It will target subterranean military infrastructure such as command centres and missile silos, especially in strategic regions like Pakistan and China.
Two variants are in the pipeline—one with an airburst warhead for surface targets and another for underground penetration, potentially surpassing even the U.S. bunker-buster in payload size. These missiles will be hypersonic, achieving speeds of Mach 8 to Mach 20, offering rapid, precise strike options without reliance on bomber aircraft.
This indigenous development reflects India’s emphasis on self-reliance in advanced defence technologies, and positions the nation as a serious contender in next-generation conventional weaponry.