On Wednesday (October 27), India successfully test-fired a surface to a surface ballistic missile, Agni-5, from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast giving India strike capability to hit any target in China.
The missile was test-fired at 7.50 pm and it used a three-stage solid-fuelled engine with a strike range of over 5,000-km with a very high degree of accuracy.
With the successful completion of this test, India’s policy to have a “credible minimum deterrence” has received a further boost and it underpins the commitment to ‘No First Use’.
In June this year successfully test-fired a completely new high-tech nuclear-capable ballistic missile, Agni Prime that was carried out from the launching complex IV of Abdul Kalam Island.
“Various telemetry and radar stations positioned along the eastern coast tracked and monitored the missile. The missile has followed textbook trajectory, meeting all mission objectives with a high level of accuracy,” a statement issued by the DRDO had stated at the time. Agni-P was the most advanced missile in the Agni series, which was developed with the cutting-edge technologies used in 4000-km range Agni-IV and 5000-km Agni-V missiles.
Agni-1 to 5 missiles are designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). At present, apart from the Agni-5, other Agni missiles that India has in its armory are: Agni-1 with a 700-km range, Agni-2 with a 2,000-km range, Agni-3 and Agni-4 with 2,500 km to more than 3,500 km range.
However, some defense and geostrategic experts like Brahma Chellaney think India may have flight a MIRVed version. In a tweet Chellaney said, “India has successfully developed the road-mobile, over 5,000-km-range Agni-5 missile with a 1.5-ton warhead as part of its nuclear deterrent. It is now working to equip it with multiple independently targetable warheads. Today’s flight test might have involved a MIRVed version,”.
India has successfully developed the road-mobile, over 5,000-km-range Agni-5 missile with a 1.5-ton warhead as part of its nuclear deterrent. It is now working to equip it with multiple independently targetable warheads. Today's flight test might have involved a MIRVed version. pic.twitter.com/CwEEnZzjOt
— Brahma Chellaney (@Chellaney) October 27, 2021
The multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) is an exoatmospheric ballistic missile payload containing several warheads, with the capability to hit a different target. At present, only the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and India are currently confirmed to possess functional MIRV missile systems.
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