India will add a fifth layer of missiles to protect its national capital region

• India is gearing up its missile defense shield over the national capital region of Delhi with a combination of indigenous, Russian, Israeli and US missile systems.
• The National Advanced Surface to Air Missile system II (NASAMS 2), will form the fifth layer of a multilayered missile defense shield for NCT.
• Combined with indigenous Prithvi interceptor missiles, Russian S-400, INDO-ISRAELI joint venture Barak-8 long range SAM, Akash area defense missile system, the NASAMS 2 is set to make the capital impenetrable.

India's ministry of defense is moving swiftly at acquiring the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System II (NASAM II) from the US, Times of India reported.

Defence ministry sources told TOI that the US is likely to send the final draft of “letter of acceptance” for sale of NASAMS 2 worth ₹ 6,000 ($1 billion) under its foreign military sales programme to INDIA, by July-August.

Shielding of NCT of Delhi

The proposed multi layered shield for the security of the NCT of Delhi is expected to have five layers.

The first being equipped with two tier of AAD (advanced air defence) and PAD (Prithvi Air Defence) interceptor missile system. The second layer is to be equipped with the Russian made triumph surface to air S 400 missile system. The third layer is to be equipped with the Barak-8 medium & long range surface to air missile system jointly developed by Israeli Aerospace Industries and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), India. The fourth layer is to be equipped with the indigenous area defence missile system AKASH. The fifth layer of missile shield is to be equipped with the NASAMS 2 missile system.

NASAMS 2

Geared to track and destroy small incoming targets and shoot around buildings, NASAMS 2 is a quick reaction networked system of Stingers, gun systems, AMRAAM missiles along with the MPQ64 Sentinel Air Defense radar and indigenously developed Battle management C4I system that works as Fire Distribution System.

Counter to China and Pakistan

As a secret deal is underway between China and Pakistan for the development and manufacturing of advanced fighter jets in Pakistan, India’s claims of BRI being an initiative typically for the expansion and advancing of Chinese military goals has surfaced again.

Pentagon’s 2019 Missile Defence Review (MDR) has termed China as having the most active land-based ballistic and cruise missile programme in the world. This is an indication for India to work on securing its vital military and non military assets, like major population centres.

The Indo in the Indo-pacific

The US, in 2018 termed India as its major defense partner and soon after named its Pacific command as Indo-Pacific command, considering the vital role India can play in the region’s stability and in the South China sea as well.

The deal for NASAMS 2 is not to be merely looked as just another of such deals. It projects to the world, the very core role India is going to play to keep stable not only south east asia but also the indo-pacific, south china sea and the middle east, say experts.