India successfully test-fired the Agni-Prime long-range surface to surface missile from the Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island near Balasore, off the Odisha coast, on June 28. ‘Agni Prime’ (‘Agni-P’) is nuclear capable and belongs to the Agni missile family of medium to intercontinental range ballistic missiles developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The technology deployed in the missile is said to be a “complete upgrade in every way”. A canisterised missile, which can be launched from a road or rail platform, the Agni-Prime has a range of between 1,000 and 2,000 km. Canisterisation of missiles reduces the time required to launch them while improving their storage and mobility. According to officials, when compared with the earlier versions of the Agni missile, the Agni-Prime has improved parameters, including manoeuvrability and accuracy.
An official with the Agni programme said: “India successfully carried out the test-firing of a new missile of the Agni series known as Agni-Prime at 10.55 a.m. today (June 28), off the coast of Odisha. The new nuclear-capable missile is fully made up of composite material and it was a textbook launch.” Officials added that the launched “missile followed a text-book trajectory, meeting all mission objectives with a high level of accuracy”. The missile’s launch was tracked and monitored by various telemetry and radar stations positioned along the eastern coast.
Congratulating the DRDO, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted: “Many advanced technologies including composites, propulsion systems, innovative guidance and control mechanisms and state-of-the-art navigation systems have been introduced. The Agni-P missile would further strengthen India’s credible deterrence capabilities.”
One of the mainstays of India’s nuclear launch capability, the Agni missiles are one of the five developed by the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme which was started in 1983. Prithvi, Trishul, Akash and Nag are the other four. Several missiles of the Agni family have been successfully tested and inducted into the Indian armed forces. The Agni missiles are manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited. Agni-5, the longest of the Agni series, and an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile has a range of over 5,000 km.
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