NEW DELHI: India has achieved a new milestone in its weapons development programme following the successful test of its most powerful missile.
The Agni 5 missile has a range of more than 5,000 kilometres and will be ready for induction into the Strategic Forces Command after further user trials.
The intercontinental ballistic missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is 17 metres long, two-metre wide, weighs 50 tonnes and capable of carrying a one-tonne nuclear warhead.
Monday’s test launch gives India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme a huge boost against rivals China and Pakistan, upping the ante in Asia’s geopolitics.
In the Agni missile series, Agni-I has a range of 700 kilometres, Agni-II can hit targets 2,000 km away, and Agni-III and Agni-IV can cover distances of 2,500 km to 3,500 km.
The latest Agni-V missile was fired from a truck-mounted mobile launcher off the coast of Odisha in eastern India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a statement: “Successful test firing of Agni V makes every Indian very proud. It will add tremendous strength to our strategic defence.”
The missile has advanced navigation and guidance systems along with improved warhead and engine.
Its first test was done on April 19, 2012, the second on Sept 15, 2013 and the third on Jan 31 last year.
Analysts see the missile as providing a nuclear deterrence capability to India in any potential confrontation with China.
“Significant improvements have been made to the missile, but it will be a while before it goes to the forces. Agni 5 can hit most parts of China, particularly northern China,” said Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, head of the nuclear and space policy initiative at the Observer Research Foundation think-tank.
“It is the strongest land-based missile system, and once it is inducted, India will have formidable power,” she was quoted as saying in a Finance Express online report. – Bernama