The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing a modified version of the Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile. The new variant will be a conventional weapon capable of carrying a massive 7500-kilogram bunker-buster warhead.
In the wake of the US deploying GBU-57/A Massive Ordnance Penetrators against Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility on June 22, India is accelerating its own efforts to develop advanced bunker-buster capabilities. Drawing lessons from recent global conflicts, the country is preparing for future wars by building a powerful new missile system capable of penetrating fortified underground targets.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing a modified version of the Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile. Unlike the original, which has a range exceeding 5000 kilometres and typically carries nuclear warheads, the new variant will be a conventional weapon capable of carrying a massive 7500-kilogram bunker-buster warhead.
Designed to strike hardened enemy facilities buried beneath layers of reinforced concrete, the missile is expected to penetrate 80 to 100 metres underground before detonation.
This development signals India’s intent to match the capabilities of the United States, which recently used 14 GBU-57s—the world’s largest conventional bunker-buster bombs—in a show of force against Iranian nuclear infrastructure. The GBU-57 and its predecessor, the GBU-43 (popularly known as the “Mother of All Bombs”), have set benchmarks in deep-penetration munitions.
India’s indigenous version aims to go further. Rather than rely on large, expensive bomber aircraft for delivery, as the US does, India is designing its bunker buster to be missile-delivered, offering a more flexible and cost-effective platform. This adaptation could reshape strategic planning in the region.
Two new variants of the Agni-5 are reportedly under development. One will feature an airburst warhead for above-ground targets, while the other will be a deep-penetrating missile designed to burrow into hardened subterranean infrastructure—similar in concept to the GBU-57, but potentially with a larger payload.
Each warhead could weigh up to eight tons, which would make them among the most powerful conventional warheads globally.
Despite the reduced range of 2500 kilometres in the new variants compared to the original Agni-5, their destructive capacity and precision are expected to make them formidable assets in India’s strategic arsenal.
They will be particularly crucial for targeting command-and-control centres, missile silos, and critical military infrastructure in adversarial nations like Pakistan and China.
The missiles are expected to reach speeds between Mach 8 and Mach 20, classifying them as hypersonic weapons—comparable in velocity to the US bunker-buster systems but with significantly enhanced payloads.
