 "India successfully launches long range missile Agni -V")
India on Thursday successfully launched the 5000-km range surface-to-surface Agni-V, India’s first Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), from Wheeler Island off the Odisha coast. The test launch was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but was postponed due to bad weather.
India has joined the elite club of nations having Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) with the successful launch of its Agni-V missile. Only the US, Russia, France and China possess the capability to operate an ICBM.
Agni-V is capable of carrying nuclear warheads and will be crucial for India’s defence against China. The missile can carry a pay-load of 1 tonne, is 17 m long, 2 m wide and weighs 50 tonnes. After the missile is inducted into India’s strategic forces by 2014-2015, India will acquire a strong deterrent capacity against China.
Agni-V can cover entire China, Eastern Europe, North Eastern and Eastern Africa and even Australia if fired from the Nicobar Islands.
Designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists, Agni-V has a range of 5,000 kilometres.
In November last year, DRDO had successfully test fired the 3,500 km range Agni-4 missile giving muscle to India’s deterrent capability against the military adversaries.
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