HVK Archives: Funds for missile research doubled
Funds for missile research doubled - The Telegraph
A Glance
()
11 May 1997
Title : Funds for missile research doubled
Author : A Glance
Publication : The Telegraph
Date : May 11, 1997
India's missile programme is likely to receive a boost in the Ninth Five-Year
Plan, with the Centre doubling the expenditure for missile technology development,
reports our special correspondent.
The total allotted expenditure on missiles was Rs 227 crore in the Eighth defence
Plan. The Ninth defence Plan, as yet not officially announced, envisages spending
Rs 504 crore. When the missile programme was initiated in 1983, only Rs 375 crore
was allotted.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been allotted the
funds for developing missile programmes and not for production. At the moment,
many missiles like the short-range Prithvi, the anti-tank Nag and the short-range
surface-to-air Trishul are almost ready. As a result, the money is likely to be
spent on the Aakash, a sophisticated medium range surface-to-air missile, and
perhaps, the Agni.
The DRDO is working on Aakash, specially on its guidance systems. But the
government is silent on Agni, an intermediate-range missile, which it describes as
a technology demonstrator only. The increased spending on missiles in the ninth
plan has sparked speculation that the government may be quietly working on the
Agni as well to avoid criticism from neighbouring countries and from the
super-powers.
Meanwhile, the defence parliamentary standing committee has recommended that the
Centre review its Agni programme and take it to its "logical conclusion, where it
can contribute to the defence and deterrence capabilities of the country". The
Centre's statements on the Agni have so far been equivocal. The government has
neither said it has given up the project, nor said it is working on it. A Prithvi
is likely to cost between Rs 3 and 5 crore, while Agni will cost over Rs 30 crore.
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