India on Wednesday successfully test-fired surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-5.
The launch is being seen as a strong message to China.
The missile was launched on October 27, 2021 at approximately 7:50 pm from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.
The missile, which uses a 3-stage solid fuelled engine, is capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 kilometres with a very high degree of accuracy, the defence ministry said in a press statement.
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“The successful test of Agni-5 is in line with India’s stated policy to have ‘credible minimum deterrence’ that underpins the commitment to ‘No First Use’,” the defence ministry said in the statement.
According to a report, the missile is the bedrock of India’s nuclear deterrent along with submarine-based nuclear missiles, which had not yet been tested to anywhere close to this range.
The test of the 17-metre tall Agni-5 comes after a new-generation 2-stage missile called Agni-Prime, with a strike range of 1,500-km, was tested on June 28.
The Agni-Prime, which is also a canister-launch missile, will eventually replace the Agni-1 (700-km) missiles in the arsenal of the SFC, which also has the Prithvi-2 (350-km), Agni-2 (2,000-km) and Agni-3 (3,000-km) missile units.