In an effort to hone its missile programme, India on Thursday successfully flight tested ‘Agni Prime,’ the new-generation ballistic surface to surface missile, from an island off Odisha. The test was conducted from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and all objectives were successfully met, officials said.
This was the first pre-induction night launch conducted after three successful developmental trials of the missile, validating the accuracy and reliability of the system, they said. The missile can take out a target at more than 2,000 km.
Range instrumentation such as radar, telemetry and electro-optical tracking systems were deployed at different locations, including two down-range ships, to capture flight data covering its entire trajectory, they added.
“First Pre-Induction night launch of New Generation Ballistic Missile Agni Prime was successfully conducted off the coast of Odisha on June 7, 2023,” tweeted DRDO.
Senior officials of DRDO and Strategic Forces Command witnessed the successful flight test, which paved the way for the induction of the system into the armed forces.
