India is one of the biggest global spenders in the defence sector and the country's elite scientists have gone one step further to cement our place as one of the most sophisticated countries when it comes to nuclear missile capability. The launch of a fully-operational submarine-launched missile B05 puts India in a league which only has four other countries.

India on Tuesday became the fifth country in the world to possess BO5, a fully-operational submarine-launched missile, fitted with a nuclear warhead. Only USA, Russia, China and France have a similar technology and India is now placed in esteemed company when it comes to its defence capabilities. This development assumes more significance in the wake of increased skirmishes with Pakistan. 

Moreover, India is in a phase of developing a missile of similar capability which can be launched from land and will have an impact radius of 600 kilometres. This land version of the BO5 missile has not been named yet but it will be completing the Agni and Prithvi series of nuclear projectiles.

Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman felicitated scientists A Joseph and M Ugender Reddy at Defence Research Development Organisation’s (DRDO) annual award ceremony at New Delhi for displaying their indigenous skills in developing the missiles that give India an edge against its hostile neighbour.

The "DRDO award for performance excellence" which was presented to the two scientists had the citation stating, “It is an indigenous missile with several innovative designs and unique mechanism. Numerous critical technology were proved in the successful trials which paved the way for developing other long-range submarine-launched Strategic Missiles and has the potential to launched from Submarine, Ship and Land."