India Fast-Tracks Bunker-Buster Missile Development After U.S. Strikes in Iran

In the wake of the recent U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s underground nuclear facility at Fordow, India has significantly accelerated its indigenous bunker-buster missile development project. The move comes as a strategic response to evolving global security dynamics and highlights India’s focus on bolstering its deep-strike conventional capabilities.

On June 22, the United States deployed the GBU-57/A Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), one of the world’s most powerful non-nuclear bunker-busting bombs, to target Iran’s heavily fortified underground nuclear facility. The incident has reportedly prompted India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to expedite the development of a modified version of the Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which will carry a conventional warhead instead of a nuclear payload.

According to defence officials, this upgraded variant will be equipped with a 7,500 kg conventional bunker-buster warhead capable of penetrating 80 to 100 metres below ground. It is designed to strike deeply buried targets such as command bunkers, nuclear facilities, and underground weapon storage depots. Unlike the original Agni-5’s 5,000 km range, the modified missile will have a reduced range of approximately 2,500 km but will travel at hypersonic speeds between Mach 8 and 20, making it extremely difficult to intercept.

The new missile system aims to replicate the capabilities demonstrated by the U.S. MOP but with an indigenous platform suited to India’s strategic needs. The development is seen as a crucial step in strengthening India’s conventional deterrence posture, especially amid rising tensions and the need for precision strikes on hardened enemy targets.

Officials indicate that the project is being treated with top priority, and initial testing phases could be advanced ahead of schedule. The initiative underscores India’s intent to match global advancements in military strike technology.