India on Thursday test-fired its nuclear-capable Agni-I strategic ballistic missile, with a range of 700 kms, as part of the Army’s user trial from the Integrated Test Range at Wheeler Island off Orissa coast.

The indigenously developed surface-to-surface single-stage missile, powered by solid propellants, was test fired from a rail mobile launcher at about 1010 hours from launch pad-4 of the ITR, 100 kms off the Orissa coast, defence sources said.

User of the missile – the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the Indian Army – as part of their training exercise, executed the entire launch operation with the logistic support provided by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) at the ITR, said a DRDO official.

The missile has a highly specialised navigation system which ensures it reaches the target with a high degree of accuracy, he said.

The entire trajectory of the missile, which has an operational striking range of 700 km, was tracked by sophisticated radars and electro-optic telemetry stations located along the sea coast and two ships positioned near the impact point in the downrange area.

Weighing 12 tonnes, the 15-metre-long Agni-1, which can carry payloads up to 1000 kg, has already been inducted into the Indian Army.