The Agni-5 long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile from India underwent a successful flight test on Thursday night (December 15).
The test was conducted from A P J Abdul Kalam Island, which is off the coast of Odisha, by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which manages the Agni-5. A few months after China fired its hypersonic missile, the SFC independently tested Agni-5 for the first time in October of last year.
After Chinese and Indian troops engaged in combat at the Line of Actual Control in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, a few days have passed since the most recent test. Agni-5 can reach targets at distances of 5,000 to 5,500 kilometres, putting Beijing and other significant Chinese cities within its reach.
The three-stage solid-fueled, nuclear-capable missile was created by India’s Defense Research and Development organisation (DRDO).
As part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program, which was led by scientist and former president Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, a key player in India’s missile and space programmes, the development of Agni missiles began in early 1980.
The ranges of the medium to intercontinental Agni missile systems 1 to 5 range from 700 km for Agni-1 to 5000 km and higher for Agni-5. Agni P, a canisterized missile with a range of between 1,000 and 2,000 kilometres, was successfully tested by DRDO in June 2021.
This makes it possible for the missile to be deployed and launched more quickly because it can now be launched from both road and rail platforms. Agni-6, with a range beginning at 8000 kilometres, is also rumoured to be under development.
Since 2012, Agni-5 has undergone numerous tests with great success. Several new technologies on board the missile were validated during the most recent test, according to sources in the defence ministry. Throughout the operation, including by the assets deployed in the water, radars, range stations, and tracking systems tracked and monitored the missile’s flight performance.
The posture of “credible minimum deterrence” and “No Initially Use,” which are essential components of India’s nuclear strategy and were first announced in 2003, were emphasised in the Ministry of Defence’s statement at the time of the previous test in October 2021.
This basically indicates that India would only ever deploy nuclear weapons in retaliation in the event of a confrontation, and that the arsenal is solely kept in place to prevent India from being attacked.
The SFC, which conducted the test, is an important tri-services formation that oversees and controls all strategic assets for the Indian Nuclear Command Authority.
The only entity that has the authority to sanction the use of nuclear weapons is the Nuclear Command Authority. It has an Executive Council and a Political Council. The Prime Minister serves as the Political Council’s chair. The National Security Advisor serves as the chair of the Executive Council, which receives instructions from the Political Council and contributes to the Nuclear Command Authority’s decision-making process.
The Agni-5 test was conducted from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which is responsible for the Agni-5. The missile has a striking range of between 5,000 and 5,500 kilometres.
A few months after China fired its hypersonic missile, the SFC independently tested Agni-5 for the first time in October of last year. A few days prior to the most recent test, Chinese and Indian troops engaged in combat at the Line of Actual Control in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. Agni-5 is said to be able to reach important cities in China, including the nation’s capital Beijing.
Disclaimer -We have collected this information from our direct sources, various trustworthy sources on the internet and the facts have been checked manually and verified by our in-house team.