New Delhi: Amid a face-off with China over Line of Actual Control (LAC) India test successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable ballistic missile Agni-V has a strike range of up to 5,000 km. With the successful test firing of Agni-V on Thursday (December 15) from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast marked a significant boost to the country's strategic deterrence.
Following the test, the defence ministry said that it reaffirmed India's policy of having a 'credible minimum deterrence capability."
#video : what a sight! looks like#Agni V missile in flight.. said to have been spotted from various districts in #westbengal (nothing else could be flying along the east coast today)
Or is it the sword-shaped comet seen in #PonniyinSelvan ? #india #defence #tech #ICBM pic.twitter.com/aFyYbm2sXo
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) December 15, 2022
Specifications of Agni-V
The missile has a very high degree of accuracy to hit targets. It has a height of 17 metres and it is capable of carrying a 1.5-tonne warhead.
Can Agni-V hit cover entire China?
With a strike range of upto 5000 km, Agni V can bring almost the entire Asia including the northernmost part of China as well as some regions in Europe under its striking range.
#AgniV | India successfully carried out a night trial of the Agni V nuclear capable ballistic missile, which can hit targets beyond 5000 km.
Missile test-firing from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.@DRDO_India @DefenceMinIndia pic.twitter.com/2c0E247rj0
— DD News (@DDNewslive) December 16, 2022
The Agni-V project is aimed at boosting India's nuclear deterrence against China which is known to have missiles like Dongfeng-41 having ranges between 12,000-15,000 km.
Can Agni-V hit targets at night?
Agni-V has been successfully test-fired however there has been no official word about the night trials of the nuclear-capable ballistic missile.
About Agni-1 to Agni-4
The Agni 1 to 4 missiles have ranges from 700 km to 3,500 km and they have already been deployed. In June, India successfully carried out a night launch of the nuclear-capable Agni-4 ballistic missile, in a boost to India's military capabilities.
India has been steadily enhancing its overall military might in the last couple of years. It has carried out successful tests of a number of missiles during the period.
Other achievements of India in defence sector in recent past
In May, India successfully test-fired the extended-range version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a Sukhoi fighter jet. It was the first launch of the extended-range version of the BrahMos missile from a Su-30MKI aircraft.
An anti-ship version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired jointly by the Indian Navy and the Andaman and Nicobar Command in April.
