Reply: Please refer to the following:

Keynote Address by Foreign Secretary Shri Ranjan Mathai at the Ministry of External Affairs – Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) National Export Control Seminar, April 18, 2012 (Click here).

Rajiv Nayan, “Update on India’s Membership of Multilateral Export Controls Regimes”, Commentary, December 19, 2012.

Ajey Lele replies: Yes, they are taken into consideration for both missile and space launches, especially in case of test launches. However, modern missiles are developed as all weather missiles. Hence, in case of an actual war, they could be launched even in bad weather conditions, if required.

Before the satellite launch, weather conditions on ground are always monitored and usually one day window for preponement or postponement of launch is planned in case of an unsuitable weather. In India, launches take place from the launch site at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. This region gets affected by monsoon (both south-west and north-east), which at times poses a major challenge. Also, cyclonic storms have maximum frequency during the month of November. Hence, no satellite launches are usually planned for November and December. Both ISRO and DRDO have facilities for weather observations and forecasting at the launch sites.

S. Samuel C. Rajiv replies: At first glance, the distinction is a factor of distance over which they are used, the context in which they are employed and the warheads they can carry. Generally, short-range missiles are termed tactical while long-range missiles are termed strategic. Battlefield missiles (like the Scud-type) are tactical while long-range missiles targeting bigger targets like cities are termed strategic. The former typically use conventional warheads while the latter typically use nuclear warheads.

Exceptions include short-range ‘tactical’ nuclear weapons and long-range missiles mated with conventional warheads. An example of the latter is the Pentagon’s Prompt Global Strike (PGS), which generated concerns from Russia as regards the ambiguity enveloping such use (distinguishing a nuclear-armed long-range missile from conventionally-armed one). The issue also generated concerns vis-à-vis bilateral arms control agreements like New START. While the US continues to insist the treaty does not prevent it from developing and deploying such capabilities, Russia does not quite hold this view. The US is concurrently developing alternative systems like Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle (FHTV) to perform long-range conventional strike missions (time-dependent anti-terrorist operations for instance).