Overview
China has positioned more than 200 conventional missile launchers opposite India, raising concerns about a rapid, large‑scale missile strike that could cripple Indian infrastructure before a conventional border war begins. The article analyses how this missile advantage could shape a future conflict and why India must develop a credible rocket force to deter or survive such a scenario.
Key Developments
- China operates two missile bases at Korla and Kunming, capable of firing DF‑15B, DF‑16, DF‑21C and the deep‑strike DF‑26.
- China’s DF‑26 can hit high‑value targets deep inside India with little warning.
- China also fields hypersonic missiles such as DF‑100 and CJ‑1000, which India currently cannot reliably intercept.
- India’s long‑range missile inventory (Agni series, LR‑LACM, Nirbhay, BrahMos) is still being integrated and lacks real‑time targeting and sufficient stockpiles.
- India does not yet have an operational rocket force, leaving it vulnerable to a pre‑emptive Chinese missile barrage.
Important Facts
1. Strategic depth offered by the Himalayas is reduced because missiles can bypass terrain. 2. The Agni family and other conventional missiles need expansion to threaten Chinese launch sites. 3. A credible Indian response must cover three levels: strategic (threaten PLA’s Western Theatre Command), operational (disrupt road, rail, air‑base networks), and tactical (strike field camps and ammunition dumps). 4. Decision‑making speed is critical; pre‑delegated launch authority to the CDS is essential for rapid retaliation. 5. Private sector participation and reduction of reliance on foreign components are needed to overcome DRDO’s cost overruns and delays.
Exam Relevance
The issue touches on multiple GS papers: China‑India strategic relations (GS2), missile technology and indigenous defence production (GS3), and the organisational challenge of creating a joint rocket force under the CDS (GS2).
Way Forward (Interim Measures)
- Disperse and harden Indian Air Force bases to force China to expend more missiles.
- Optimise air‑defence deployment so that PLA’s missile planners must target air‑defences before critical infrastructure.
- Accelerate development and induction of longer‑range conventional missiles (Agni variants, hypersonic weapons) to create reciprocal vulnerability.
- Expand satellite‑based surveillance to locate mobile launchers, especially DF‑26 units, for early neutralisation.
- Fast‑track the establishment of a joint rocket force under the CDS, with clear authority for pre‑emptive conventional strikes.
By building a credible conventional missile capability below the nuclear threshold, India can deter a Chinese missile campaign and preserve strategic stability in the region.