India conducts fourth experimental trial of Agni-V

India on Monday tested its indigenously developed intercontinental surface-to-surface nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni-V. This is the fourth experimental trial of India’s most potent long range nuclear capable ballistic missile.

The test was conducted at the missile testing facility in the Abdul Kalam Island (earlier known as Wheeler Island), a defence base off Odisha coast.

The 17-metre tall missile weighing 50 tonnes, which was Developed indigenously by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), can carry nuclear warhead of about 1.5 tonnes up to a distance of more than 5,000 kms. 

India joined the US, Russia, UK, France and China, who boast ICBM capabilities, when it tested its first Agni-V missile in 2012.

Agni-V is a nuclear-tipped surface-to-surface Inter-continental range Ballistic Missile (ICBM) and reports said that it has the capability to strike targets anywhere in all of Asia and parts of Africa, Europe and cover the most part of China, said experts. They added that Agni-V is billed as India's answer to the Chinese DF-26 Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM).

The three-stage, solid propellant missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher from the launch complex-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR).

DRDO said that the missile is among the best in its class with advanced ring-laser gyros, composite rocket motors, highly accurate micro and inertial navigation systems.