India successfully test-fires indigenously developed nuclear capable long range Ballistic missile Agni-5 off Odisha coast

India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Long Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-5 from the Abdul Kalam Wheeler Island off the Odisha coast at 9:50 this morning.

The state-of-the-art surface-to-surface missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has a strike range of 5,000 kilometres and can carry a nuclear warhead of more than one tonne. It is about 17 metres long, 2 metres wide and has launch weight of around 50 tonnes.

This is the sixth developmental and third trial of the long range missile. Unlike other missiles of Agni series, the latest one ‘Agni-5’ is the most advanced having new technologies incorporated with it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine.

Defence sources said after some few more trials, Agni-5 will be inducted into the Services. Once this missile is inducted in Services, India will join the super exclusive club of countries with Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles ICBMs alongside the US, Russia, China, France and the UK.