India successfully test fired Agni-5, a nuclear-capable inter-continental ballistic missile on 15 December 2022.
Key points
- The Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which operates the Agni-5, carried out the test from A P J Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
- Agni-5 was earlier tested in October 2021 by the SFC independently for the first time, a few months after China had tested its hypersonic missile.
- The nuclear-capable missile, which uses a three-stage solid-fuelled engine, has been developed by Defence Research and Development organisation (DRDO).
- Agni-5 is a strategic missile with a maximum range of 5000 km, and can cover the whole Chinese mainland.
- It is a fire-and-forget missile, which cannot be stopped without an interceptor missile.
- The development of Agni missiles started in early 1980 under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme spearheaded by scientist and former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.
- Medium to Intercontinental versions of Agni missile systems 1 to 5 have varying ranges — starting from 700 km for Agni-1 to 5000 km and above for Agni-5.
- In June 2021, DRDO successfully tested Agni P, a canisterised missile with a range capability between 1,000 and 2,000 km.
- This means that the missile can be launched from road and rail platforms, making it easier for it to be deployed and launched at a quicker pace. Agni-6 is also said to be under development, with a range starting at 8000 km.
