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2006-05-15 India-Pakistan

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Posted by john 2006-05-15 17:20|| || Front Page|| [6 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 The Indian Defence Minister is visiting China next month.
Since this missile is China specific, looks like they don't want to rock the boat.

Posted by john 2006-05-15 17:27|| 2006-05-15 17:27|| Front Page Top

#2 The Defense Research and Development organization (DRDO), which built the missile system, has put off tests of the solid-fuel Agni-III several times since November 2004.

Mukherjee, however, said self restraint would not prevent India from carrying out other tests on the Agni-III, which many experts say has an inter-continental reach of almost 6,000 kilometers.

Self-restraint does not mean that DRDO cant go ahead with cold-bed tests for the sub-systems of the missile, Mukherjee said.

The comments came as DRDO scientists said they could launch Agni-III in less than three weeks.

We are all ready to go and in two-three weeks we can assemble it and launch. In fact, we have a schedule for three tests including one with the end user, a missile scientist from the DRDO told AFP.

Once ready, the two-stage missile, which can carry a one-ton warhead, will be handed over to the army for deployment.

Posted by john 2006-05-15 17:38|| 2006-05-15 17:38|| Front Page Top

#3 This article alleges US pressure

New Delhi, May 15: United States pressure on India to adhere to "international norms" to get US Congress approval for the civilian nuclear energy agreement has worked. Defence minister Pranab Mukherjee, on the sidelines of a defence accountants conference on Monday, admitted for the first time that the government had stayed the test-firing of the Agni-III missile because "as responsible members of the international community, we want to keep our international commitments on non-proliferation." His remarks clearly indicate, sources said, that the government has abandoned the programme altogether.

Mr Mukherjee told reporters: "We have no pressure on us. Nor are we putting any political pressure. It is just that we have decided to have self-imposed restraint." Agni-III has been ready for test-firing since January, with the chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, Mr M. Natarajan, announcing this with a cautionary: "When it will be fired, how it will be fired and where it will be fired is a decision to be taken at a higher level." He repeatedly made it clear that the missile was now ready insofar as the DRDO was concerned, and that he was optimistic that the political leadership would give the expected nod.

This has not happened, with the defence minister now finally admitting that the green signal to test-fire was not given by the government because of its commitment to non-proliferation. Sources wanted to know why this commitment was not expressed before, when the UPA government came to power, and why the DRDO was allowed to move ahead on this long-pending project at considerable cost if this indeed was the new governments policy. The governments refusal to move ahead in this crucial area of missile testing, sources said, is making a "mockery" of Indias independent nuclear programme.

Significantly, no such limitations have been imposed by the "international community" on Pakistan, which test-fired its surface-to-surface Hatf-VI (Shaheen-II) missile from an undisclosed destination just last month. Prime Minister Shauqat Aziz witnessed this with Hatf-VI being described as Pakistans longest-range ballistic missile system with a 2,500-km range. This is a two-stage solid fuel missile which can carry nuclear and conventional warheads with high accuracy. It elicited no adverse response from Washington or, for that matter, the world community.

Mr Natarajan, a day before, had again sought to remind the nation that Agni-III was ready and that the DRDO had cleared all technical parameters for the test. Defence scientists have been pointing out that a decision to abandon the Agni-III programme, which now appears to be the case, might prevent India from ever acquiring a credible nuclear deterrent. The Americans have always been uneasy about Indias Agni programme, and in 1994 persuaded it to suspend the testing of the missile afer three test flights. Agni-III is the third member of the family and has been developed with a 3,000-km range as against Agni-I, with a 800-900 km range, and Agni-II, with a 2,000 km range. The test-firing of this missile has been postponed twice, and might have been aborted altogether. Agni-III was developed as a surface-based, solid and liquid propellant ballistic missile.

Posted by john 2006-05-15 17:41|| 2006-05-15 17:41|| Front Page Top

#4 INDIA> We are responsible members of the international community, a bulwark against international terrorism and possible chinese expansion, though we like and respect our chinese neighbours.

REST OF WORLD> Ok, good luck to ya, hows that 8.4% growth doin?

INDIA> Peachy thanks, best wishes.

Posted by pihkalbadger 2006-05-15 20:44|| 2006-05-15 20:44|| Front Page Top

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