India’s missile defense shield in place

India is upping the ante on missile defense. The Hindu reported today, the Indian government has successfully developed a missile defense system that can be put in place in two separate places on very short notice.

VK Saraswat, the chief of India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), told China Daily, "The ballistic missile defense shield is now mature. We are ready to put phase one in place and it can be put in very short time."

According to NDTV, the shield can protect against and destroy, an incoming ballistic missile with the range of up to 2,000 kms.

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Saraswat also said they have tested and succeeded in destroying missiles in both the endo-atmospheric [inside the earth's atmosphere] and exo-atmospheric [outside the earth's atmosphere]. Saraswat also said the system is fully automated and will not require any human intervention, unless the mission needs to be aborted, said NDTV. 

The Hindu noted, with this development India is now on par with an elite class of nations in terms of defense saying their system is similar to the US Patriot 3 system.

Saraswat told The Hindu, "All the elements, such as long-range radars and tracking devices, real-time data link and mission control system required for the missile system had been 'realized' successfully."

India will continue developments and improve their missile defense system even further. According to China Daily, the defense system will get an upgrade in 2016, at which point it will be able to destroy incoming missiles from 5,000 kms. 

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