Agni-5 night trials: India successfully tests nuclear-capable ballistic missile in over 5,500 km range

India successfully carried out the night trials of the Agni-5 nuclear-capable ballistic missile which can hit targets beyond 5000 kms, according to Defence sources.

New Delhi: In a major boast to India's defence capabilities, India has successfully carried out the night trials of the Agni-5 nuclear-capable ballistic missile which can hit targets beyond 5,500 kms, ANI reported quoting Defence sources as saying on Thursday. The missile was fired from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.

"The test was carried out to validate new technologies and equipment on the missile which is now lighter than before. The trial has proved the capability to enhance the range of the Agni-5 missile, if required," the Defence sources added. The missile, which has a very high degree of accuracy to hit targets, has a height of 17 metres and is capable of carrying a 1.5-tonne warhead.

The range of Agni-V is upto 5,500 km with full pay load. With a lighter weight, the missile can accurately hit targets upto 8,000 km range. It uses a three-stage solid fuelled engine. Agni-5 is categorised as Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) and has been the India's first one in the ICBM lineup. Agni-V can bring almost the entire Asia including the northernmost part of China as well as some regions in Europe under its striking range.

The flight performance of the missile was tracked and monitored by radars, range stations and tracking systems all through the mission. All objectives of the mission have been successfully met. This successful test of Agni-5 reaffirms the country’s indigenous missile capabilities and further strengthens our credible deterrence, another DRDO source added.

The Agni 1 to 4 missiles have ranges from 700 km to 3,500 km and they have already been deployed. The Agni-V missile has been successfully test-fired, two people familiar with the matter said. There is no official word on the night trials of the missile. The people cited above said the test validated a number of critical aspects of the weapon.

India carried out a similar test of the missile in October last year as well. The successful test firing of the missile paves way for its induction into the Strategic Forces Command that takes care of India's strategic assets, the people cited above said. In June, India successfully carried out a night launch of the nuclear-capable Agni-4 ballistic missile, in a boost to India's military capabilities.

Following the test, the defence ministry had said that it reaffirmed India's policy of having a 'credible minimum deterrence capability'. India has been steadily enhancing its overall military might in the last couple of years. It has carried out successful tests of a number of missiles during the period.

In May, the extended range version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was test-fired from a Sukhoi fighter jet. It was the first launch of the extended range version of the BrahMos missile from a Su-30MKI aircraft. An anti-ship version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired jointly by the Indian Navy and the Andaman and Nicobar Command in April.