INDIA's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGDMP) seems to be on course with the successful completion of the trials of Dhanush, a sea-to-surface missile, which is ready for induction into the Navy. Dhanush is the naval version of Prithvi, India's surface-to-surface missile. V.K. Atre, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, said on September 29: "Dhanush is ready for induction after successful trials at sea."
On October 4, Akash, another component of the IGMDP, was successfully flight-tested from the interim test range at Chandipur-on-Sea in Orissa. The surface-to-air missile, which soared into the sky from a mobile launcher around 4 p.m., has a range of 25 km and can carry a warhead of up to 55 kg.
On the same day, Pakistan successfully test-fired its medium-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, Hatf-IV (Shaheen), which can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads and hit targets within a range of 700 km. The United States reacted immediately; State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said: "... We are disappointed that ballistic missile tests are occurring in the region. There is a surcharged atmosphere in the region and these tests can contribute to that atmosphere, make it harder to prevent a costly and destabilising nuclear and missile arms race."
Agni, Prithvi, Trishul, Akash and Nag form part of the IGMDP, which is being managed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Successful flight tests of Agni, Agni II and Agni I, which are intermediate-range ballistic missiles, have been conducted. Agni variants include surface-to-surface missiles. Like Agni, Prithvi has variants for the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. Prithvi I has been inducted into the Army and its production has been serialised. The user trials of Prithvi II, which has a range of 250 km, have been completed. After completing these two projects, the DRDO started work on Dhanush. Its first trial flight was conducted in September 2001 from INS Subhadra, using a stabilised launcher. Two flight trials of the Air Force version of Prithvi, with a range of 250 km, were done on March 31 and December 12, 2001.
Dhanush can hit targets within a range of 250 km. A DRDO source said: "That the Naval version has been flight tested twice means that we can move anywhere and launch the missile. This mobility provides an added advantage." The first test was to evaluate Dhanush's vertical launch capability from a ship. The second test was conducted not only to assess the vertical launch capability but also to check whether all parameters of the missile met the mission requirements. A number of flight tests of Akash have been conducted. They include four flights in March and September 2001 against simulated targets and pilotless target aircraft (PTA). During these flights and the test on October 4, ram rocket propulsion was used.
Nag is a third-generation anti-tank missile that can change its course according to the movement of the target. The supersonic cruise missile BrahMos, which is the product of a joint venture by India and Russia, has been launched successfully twice.
T. S. SubramanianFOREST bandit Veerappan, who continues to hold hostage the former Karnataka Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader H. Nagappa, whom he kidnapped on August 25, sent yet another audio cassette to the Karnataka government on October 6, setting an eight-day deadline to send the jailed Kolathur Mani to negotiate Nagappa's release. In the cassette, which was found wrapped in a dhoti in Nagappa's garden, the brigand addresses Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna, who he accuses of not responding to the demands made immediately after the abduction.
But with the Karnataka government disinclined to send Mani to the forests, the hostage drama is likely to continue. The development has led to much disappointment in the Minister's family and among his friends and colleagues in the party, and leaders of the Lingayat community, to which he belongs. While they have been able to convince and pressure the Karnataka government to go slow on the operations to apprehend the brigand, they have not got any assurances from the government that it will secure Nagappa's safe release.
Nagappa's family dismissed as "baseless" newspaper reports that Veerappan was paid a huge sum in order to secure the Minister's release. But sources close to the family admitted that efforts had been made to enlist the help of religious heads of the Lingayat sect, politicians, including Union Defence Minister George Fernandes, and persons who had successfully helped in securing the release of Kannada actor Rajkumar, who was abducted by Veerappan two years ago. But with the government unprepared to assure the emissaries that no action will be taken against them once they return from the forests after meeting Veerappan, they have so far been reluctant to make any efforts.
The Karnataka government, which is preoccupied with the Cauvery dispute, does not want to do anything that could result in legal embarrassment, as had happened during the Rajkumar kidnap episode, when at the behest of Veerappan the government tried to free over 100 Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act detenus.
According to Nagappa's son-in-law Kiran Patil, Krishna has assured the Nagappa family that the Karnataka Special Task Force (STF), which has been pursuing the brigand, will be withdrawn from the operations. This is one of the demands of Veerappan. However, the Tamil Nadu government's stand is that it will not negotiate with the bandit nor withdraw the Tamil Nadu STF. Patil also said that Krishna had assured the family that the government would explore the legal aspects of getting Kolathur Mani released from jail. Patil denied that the family had paid any money to Veerappan.
Ravi SharmaCOMMents
COMMents
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