IBNS-CMEDIA: India on Friday successfully test-fired the short-range ballistic missile Agni-I from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha.
“The launch validated all operational and technical parameters,” India’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
The ministry said the test was conducted under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command
India’s Agni missile series — Agni-I, Agni-II, Agni-III and Agni-IV — has strike ranges spanning approximately 700 km to 3,500 km.
Earlier this month, India also conducted a successful flight trial of an advanced Agni missile equipped with a Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle system from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island on May 8.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the missile was tested with multiple payloads aimed at separate targets distributed across a vast geographical area in the Indian Ocean region.
“The telemetry and tracking were carried out by multiple ground- and ship-based stations. These systems tracked the missile’s entire trajectory from lift-off until the impact of all payloads. Flight data confirmed that all mission objectives were successfully met during the trial,” the ministry said.
The ministry added that the launch demonstrated India’s capability to engage multiple strategic targets using a single missile system, marking a significant advancement in its strategic deterrence capabilities.
What is Agni 1 missile?
The Agni-I is 15 m long, 1 m in diameter, and has a launch weight of 12,000 kg. It has a range of 700 km with an estimated payload of 1,000 kg, which allows it to carry nuclear warheads. With reduced payloads, the Agni-I may be capable of ranging up to 1,200 km, as per the Missile Threat project of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) website.
