India on Thursday morning test-fired its home grown surface-to-surface intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Agni-V from the Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast.
The user associate trial was conducted from the Island after a full scale preparation by Chandipur-based ITR.
This was the fifth test of the missile and the third consecutive one from a canister on a road mobile launcher. All the five missions have been successful.
The missile with its strike range 5,000 km can even reach the northern-most parts of China. The flight performance of the missile was tracked and monitored by radars, range stations and tracking systems all through the mission.
All objectives of the mission have been successfully met. This successful test of Agni-V reaffirms the country’s indigenous missile capabilities and further strengthens our credible deterrence.
The launch operations were led by Project Director, Agni-5, G Ramaguru and Programme Director, Agni, MRM Babu. Scientific Adviser to Raksha Mantri and Director General, Missiles and Strategic Systems Dr G Satheesh Reddy witnessed the launch. Directors of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) labs namely ASl, DRDl, ITR, RCI and TBRl reviewed the entire launch operations. Senior officials from the armed forces were present on the occasion.
Chairman DRDO and Secretary DDRD Dr S Christopher congratulated Agni-V team and said that the fifth consecutive successful flight test of Agni-5 is a major boost to country’s defence capabilities.