Examine the role of DRDO in achieving strategic autonomy through the Agni series.

Q. Examine the role of DRDO in achieving strategic autonomy through the Agni series. (15 marks, 250 words)

Strategic autonomy — the capacity to secure national interests without external dependence — rests on an indigenous deterrent. Through the Agni series, born of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP, 1983) conceived by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, DRDO has converted this doctrine into hardware [1].

Indigenous technological mastery - Progressively scaled range and complexity: Agni-I (700 km) to Agni-V (ICBM-class, >5,000 km), plus the canisterised Agni-Prime (1,000–2,000 km) [2]. - Achieved MIRV capability via Mission Divyastra (11 March 2024) — indigenous avionics, high-accuracy sensors and precise post-boost manoeuvring, joining an elite club (US, Russia, UK, France, China) [1][3].

Enabling credible deterrence - MIRV lets one missile strike multiple dispersed targets, boosting survivability against missile-defence shields and underpinning Credible Minimum Deterrence and No-First-Use [1]. - Strengthens the land-leg of the nuclear triad; delivery custody rests with Strategic Forces Command under the Nuclear Command Authority [2].

Building a self-reliant ecosystem - Advances Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence, reducing import reliance and spawning private-sector linkages through iDEX and the Technology Development Fund [4].

Yet autonomy remains partial: selective import of sub-components and lengthy development cycles persist, demanding sustained investment.

DRDO's Agni programme exemplifies indigenous capability translating doctrine into deterrence, anchoring India's strategic independence. Deepening private-industry participation and timely user-trials, aligned with SDG-9 (innovation and resilient infrastructure), can carry this self-reliance from missiles to the wider defence-industrial base.

(~250 words)

Sources: 1. PM hails Mission Divyastra, first flight test of Agni-5 with MIRV (PIB, 2024) — MIRV capability, indigenous avionics, elite-club, deterrence 2. New Generation Ballistic Missile Agni-Prime flight-tested by SFC & DRDO (PIB, 2024) — Agni-Prime, range variants, SFC custody 3. DRDO successfully conducts Mission Divyastra (PIB, 2024) — IGMDP lineage, Divyastra date and details 4. DRDO — Home (Ministry of Defence) — iDEX, Technology Development Fund, Atmanirbhar linkages