The launch demonstrated New Delhi’s capability for ‘credible deterrence’, the military said
India has successfully tested its nuclear-capable Agni-4 ballistic missile, with the country’s defense ministry calling the trial a “routine” launch. The locally developed munition would be capable of hitting targets thousands of kilometers away.
Conducted on Monday from the island of Abdul Kalam in the state of Odisha, the missile test encountered no major problems and was considered a success, the army said in a statement.
“The successful test was part of routine user training launches conducted under the auspices of Strategic Forces Command,” he said, adding that the launch proved the “system reliability” and reaffirmed the will of New Delhi “Minimum credible deterrent capability”.
The fourth iteration of a weapon created by the Defense Research and Development Organization of India (DRDO), the Agni-4 (or “Fire-4”) is an intermediate-range missile said to be capable of hitting targets up to 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) away and carrying a payload of 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds). New Delhi has also carried out a number of tests for the Agni-5, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with a significantly longer range, with the last test conducted late last year.
One of the few countries to possess its own nuclear triad – or nuclear weapons fired from land, sea and air – India last tested the Agni-4 in 2018, while a Launch for the newer, shorter-range Agni Prime was released in late 2021.
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RT