India Developing Its Bunker Buster Missiles After US' Strikes On Iranian Nuke Sites: Report

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Drawing lessons from recent global conflicts, India is developing its own bunker-buster missiles to prepare for future wars, according to a report.
As the Israel-Iran 12-day war saw a massive strike by the US on the Fordow nuclear site using GBU-57/A Massive Ordnance Penetrators, India is developing its own ballistic missiles capable of carrying bunker-buster warhead, according to a report.
Taking lessons from the conflicts in other parts of the world, India is focusing on developing its bunker-buster capabilities through a new missile system holding the capability of destroying targets shielded metres under the ground, as the country prepares for future wars, India Today reported.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working on a modified version of the Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile, which, unlike the original, will be a conventional weapon capable of carrying a huge 7,500-kilogram bunker-buster warhead. The original missile has a range of over 5,000 kilometres and usually carries nuclear warheads.
The missile will be designed to strongly hit the protected enemy targets hidden deep underground, beneath layers of concrete. It will be expected to go 80 to 100 metres below the surface before exploding, the report said.
The development shows that India is aiming to match the military capabilities of the United States, which dropped bunker buster bombs on Iranian nuclear sites.
India aims to build its bunker buster to be capable of being delivered using missile, unlike the US, which relies on its expensive bomber aircraft to strike.
Two new versions of the Agni-5 missile are being developed – one which will carry an airburst warhead, which will explode above the ground to destroy surface targets, and the other which will be a deep-penetration missile. This will be designed to dig into heavily protected underground facilities.
Each warhead is expected to weigh around eight tons, making it one of the most powerful conventional warheads in the world.
Even though the new missiles will have a reduced range of 2,500 km in comparison to the original Agni-5, their powerful destructive ability and high accuracy are expected to make them valuable and strong additions to India's strategic weapons.
These missiles will be especially important for targeting command centres, missile launch sites, and key military facilities in rival countries such as Pakistan and China.
The modified missiles are expected to fly at speeds between Mach 8 and Mach 20, which puts them in the category of hypersonic missiles.
First Published:
June 30, 2025, 18:42 IST