India’s missile programme ends!

That’s a happy Dr Prahlada you see in the photo to the right — DRDO held a press conference this afternoon at the Press Information Bureau to talk, ostensibly, about the recently concluded Akash tests and their induction into the IAF. Instead, journalists walked back with a better nugget — the somewhat dubiously exhalted Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) has finally been closed. As of December 2007, investments into the gargantuan missile programme finally petered out. News agency PTI had an interesting take — the programme’s been scrapped, yelled the agency’s strategic affairs editor in his copy. I think that’s a bit of a stretch.

So apart from the Nag, which has time till summer to prove itself to the Army/IAF during Thar desert trials, the Trishul will be bailed with Israeli/French help, the Astra BVR air-to-air missile will involve help from the Russians and possibly the French. Everything else from now on, Dr Prahlada said, would have a tight five-year development schedule with a foreign partner. Smart.

Now the Army has apparently said it doesn’t want the Akash because it’ll take the chaps at DRDO too long to create credible mobile launchers to carry the Army variant. Secondly, have our people managed to miniaturise the Nag seeker? We’ll have to wait and see how the summer trials go. They’ve got the air-launched version as well to prove — the one that’ll arm the Dhruv and Light Combat Helicopter.

Not sure whether the closure of the programme should be rung out with an requiem or an proud elegy. Either way it was easily one of India’s most crucial, expensive, prestigious, protracted and complex weapons programmes. It’s led to good things like the BrahMos and AAD-PAD programmes. Hopefully, it’s all up from here.

4 thoughts on “India’s missile programme ends!”

  1. Atlas the bottomless pit i.e DRDO finally raised its hands! Thank God, We worked for quarter of year for these guys, when we buy tooth paste, we paid for them. When we ate we made sure same is provided for our DRDO.
    All for what? Didn’t they had done ondition that money has to be paid upfront? They do deliver for few and disappear after that. DRDO did the same con job.

    Each project is launched, without knowing the inhouse capability, budget, or time limit. The grander the project the better, but keep the moolah coming!!!

    Now come all DRDO employees to tell how difficult R&D is, am all wrong in saying what am saying.

    Better still, am not qualified to criticise, coz______ am not involed in defence R&D,AM COMMIE, sedo-secular, paki.

    Pay

  2. When I use the word Conmen for DRDO, not many agreed. All might be familiar with the con trick that appear so often, in which TV, Cycle, cocker etc is offered at half the price, with condition being price paid upfront.

    They deliver the promised goods for some and disappear when enough is collected.

    DRDO just pulled one on us today, after 25 years.

  3. Mr. Aroor, with the exception of the Nag and Trishul (which are yet to be user-trialled), other missiles of the IGDMP have been successful like Prithvi, Agni, Akash and latter derivatives like PAD and AAD. Upon Nag’s success, only Trishul would remain to be trialled.

    The cost of 2000 crores which though a subjective matter of debate, is only 0.5 billion dollars for a quarter century. This may be compared to the tens of billions of dollars spent annually by private US, Israeli and Russian companies on missile development.

    It may be noted again subjectively, that in 1983, India’s industrial base was one of the most backward globally, and was insufficient to develop advanced missiles. It may be so that DRDO’s initial deadlines may have been in anticipation of guaranteed technology transfer from foreign countries, that was later denied.
    However, it may also be very evident that unlike the US military or Chinese military, the Indian services have stayed “two arms length” away from close management, support, monitoring and guiding the IGDMP. This “aloofness” of the Army and IAF may also be liable for criticism.

    Thank you.

  4. ch government funded organisation in the world develops 7 totally different missiles with seperate roles at one time. This isnt just conventional AAMs and ATGMs at the same time but even strategic ballistic missiles. Substandard products are only a sure consequence.Since we need all of that, it is also necessary.

    THAT IS WHY we need the power of private corporation and enterprise to make this possible. Take any example in the world, northrop, lokheed, thales…anyone.

    Each of these missiles needs a different type of technology, approach and expertise.Obviously ALL these tasks,that should be different projects alltogether rather than one, be assigned to one GOVT.(GOVT. is another fancy word for inefficient, incompetent and corrupt) entity

    We need to give a chance to our conglomerates, L&T, TATA, SAMTEL…there are loads who are interested, but we just wont allow them. We need give the PEOPLE access to core sectors, this is a democracy here…POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!

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