India’s Agni-V vs China’s Dongfeng vs Pakistan’s Shaheen: How the ballistic missile game stacks up HD

India’s Agni-V vs China’s Dongfeng vs Pakistan’s Shaheen: How the ballistic missile game stacks up India on Thursday successfully test-fired nuclear capable Agni-V ballistic missile from off the coast of Odisha. The missile, developed by India’s very own Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has a range of 5000-5500 km and brings entire Asia and almost 70 percent Europe within its striking range. The 50-ton, 17-metre long missile is India’s trump card in the elite list of nations possessing intercontinental ballistic missile systems. Some of the other countries who have the ICBM capabilities include- US, Russia, UK, China, Israel, North Korea and France. After the successful completion of the stipulated number of tests, the missile will join the armed forces strategic forces command which controls India’s strategic weapons- meaning nuclear arsenal. The canister launch system gives the missile the maneuverability. China has often frowned upon the development of Agni-V, with many experts reportedly citing that India is underplaying the range of Agni-V. In 2012, The Global Times quoted Du Wenlong, a researcher at China’s PLA Academy of Military Sciences, as saying that Agni-V “actually has the potential to reach targets 8,000 kilometers away”. China: While India is working on enhancing the range of Agni-V and also, reportedly engaged in the development of Agni-VI, its present range is not comparable to the Chinese ICBM- the CSS-10 Mod 2, with a range in excess of 11,200 km. According to a report by the US Department of Defence in 2017, The Peoples’ Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) also continues to enhance its silo-based ICBMs and is adding more survivable, mobile delivery systems. “China’s ICBM arsenal to date consists of approximately 75-100 ICBMs, including the silo-based CSS-4 Mod 2 (DF-5A) and MIRV-equipped Mod 3 (DF-5B); the solid-fueled, road-mobile CSS-10 Mod 1 and 2 (DF-31 and DF-31A); and the shorter range CSS-3 (DF-4). The CSS-10 Mod 2, with a range in excess of 11,200 km, can reach most locations within the continental United States,” the report cited. (Source: US Congressional report) According to the report, China is estimated to possess 75-100 numbers of ICBMs, 50-75 launchers that can fire the missiles to a range of 5,400-13,000+ km. Development continues of the road-mobile DF-41 ICBM, which the report says is (multiple independently targeted re-entry) “MIRV capable” like the existing silo-based DF-5B- the report cited. (Source: US Congressional report) The DF-41 ICBM, the development of which is expected to be complete this year, will carry up to 10 manoeuvrable nuclear warheads each weighing 100 to 200 kilotonnes to a megaton size. The expected range of the missile is between 12,000- 15,000km, and thus, will be capable of reaching every corner of the Earth. The MIRV technology will yield the capability of targetting multiple targets within the range. Pakistan: There have been reports suggesting that China is