New Delhi: India on Thursday morning successfully test-fired Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from the Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.
There was no immediate word on whether the first “user-trial” of the nuclear-capable Agni-V missile, which can even reach the northern-most parts of China with its strike range of over 5,000-km, had met all the parameters laid down for the test.
Agni-V is a surface-to-surface nuclear capable ballistic missile and has a range of 5000-km. It is capable of carrying nuclear warhead of about 1.5 tonnes.
The missile has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Agni-V can hit any target in China, including Beijing and the missile will also allow India to strike targets across Asia and into Europe.
The missile was designed to be easy to transport by road through the utilization of a canister-launch missile system which is distinct from those of the earlier Agni missiles.
Agni-V is expected to feature MIRV (Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle) in future with each missile being capable of carrying 2–10 separate nuclear warheads. Each warhead can be assigned to a different target, separated by hundreds of kilometers; alternatively, two or more warheads can be assigned to one target.
Agni-V is about 17 metres long, two metres wide and weighs over 50 tonnes. It is the latest in the Agni missile series. India already has Agni-I (700 km range), Agni-II (2,000 km range), Agni-III (3,000-5,000 km range) and Agni-IV (3,500-4,000 km range) in its arsenal.
Agni-V’s successful test in 2012 put India in an elite nuclear club of the US, Russia, China, France and the UK which possess nuclear-tipped ICBMs.
This missile has been tested four times so far and all the four missions have been successful.
