Agni-V expected to significantly bolster India’s military prowess

On 18 January, 2018, the long-range Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile, Agni-V, was successfully flight tested to its full range from Dr Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. This was the fifth test of the Missile and the third consecutive test of a canister on a road-mobile launcher. All the five missions so far have been successful.
The missile system, with a strike range of 5,000 km and capable of carrying nuclear warhead, are being inducted into the elite Strategic Forces Command (SFC), official sources said.
They said a series of user trials are being conducted before the country’s most sophisticated weapon is handed over to the SFC. Defence experts said the missile is capable of bringing targets across China including its prominent cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong under its range.
range. Last month, Agni-V was successfully test-fired off the Odisha coast and the sources said a number of other pre-induction tests are being planned in the next few weeks.

Agni-V to be inducted into Indian Armed Forces soon. Congratulations @DRDO_India for the achievement. pic.twitter.com/9zp5jkFYnq

— Sri Krishna Manoj (@KaramchetiManoj) July 1, 2018

“It is a strategic asset which will act as a deterrent. We are at the fag end of the strategic project,” said an official, who is part of the Agni-V programme. He said it is the most advanced weapon in its series as it has latest technologies for navigation and its capability of carrying nuclear warhead is much superior.
Also Read: India successfull test-fired the long-range nuclear capable Agni-V off Odisha Coast
The first batch of Agni-V will be handed over to the SFC “soon”, the sources said while declining to elaborate further on the closely-guarded defence project. The missile is being inducted at a time when India’s neighbourhood is witnessing evolving security threats. Very few countries including the US, China, Russia, France and North Korea have intercontinental ballistic missiles. In its armoury, India currently has Agni-1 with 700 km range, Agni-2 with a 2,000-km range, Agni-3 and Agni-4 with 2,500 km to more than 3,500-km range.
The first test of Agni-V was conducted on April 19, 2012, the second on September 15, 2013, the third on January 31, 2015 and the fourth on December 26, 2016.