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It is a moment of pride for all Indians. By successfully test firing Agni-V, the most formidable and nuclear-capable intermediate ballistic missile, India has demonstrated its growing technological prowess in the global arena.

 

The significance of this feat lies in the fact that it proves the country’s capability to strike any part of China. Agni-V has a strike range of nearly 5,000 km. The flight test, flawlessly conducted from the Integrated Test Range in Odisha’s Chandipur, is a major boost to the India’s deterrence capability and proves that it has aced the technology for miniaturised nuclear warheads.

 

The launch, supervised by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), validated all mission parameters and marked another milestone in the nation’s indigenous missile development programme under the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

 

The timing of the test comes with strong strategic undertones, coinciding with ongoing border tensions with China and persistent concerns over Pakistan’s growing tactical nuclear arsenal.

 

The missile’s successful validation also demonstrates the success of the ‘Atmanirbhar’ initiative, showcasing India’s ability to indigenously develop advanced strategic weapons without reliance on external suppliers.

 

Multiple warheads

 

The Agni-5 missile is a cornerstone of India’s nuclear deterrent. The uniqueness of this missile is that it is equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. This technology allows the missile to carry and deploy multiple nuclear warheads across different targets, that too in a single launch.

 

As of now, the tri-service SFC, which was established in 2003 to handle the country’s nuclear arsenal, has only single-warhead ballistic missiles in its arsenal. They include Prithvi-2 (350-km strike range) and Agni-1 (700-km), Agni-2 (2,000-km) and Agni-3 (3,000-km). An upgraded version of Agni-V, with a range of up to 7,500 km, is currently under development by the DRDO. With that extended capability, the missile can strike deep into China’s industrial and political heartland, as well as reaching strategic hubs in the Middle East and parts of Europe, giving India a formidable edge in its deterrence architecture.

 

The missile can currently carry up to three nuclear warheads simultaneously. This will enhance India’s second-strike capability and strengthen its no-first-use nuclear posture. The test comes over a year after the Agni-5 was tested for the first time with a MIRV technology under ‘Mission Divyastra’ on March 11, 2024 from Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu.

 

Global ICBM high table

 

With the demonstration of MIRV capability, India has joined a select band of nations—the United States, Russia, France, UK and China—that can launch Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) of 5,000 km-plus range. The MIRV capability implies that a single warhead can carry multiple nuclear warheads and each of them can strike separate targets at different locations. This technology gives India additional options, especially in the face of China’s rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal.

 

Also read: Sudarshan Chakra: Can India build its own Iron Dome?

 

Wedged between nuclear-armed China and Pakistan, the country has demonstrated its ability to develop cutting-edge defence systems that are on a par with those of major global powers. This technology enables the forces to deploy multiple warheads on missiles, introducing a new level of flexibility and resilience in India’s nuclear arsenal. Such advancements are crucial in a world where security threats are evolving rapidly and maintaining a credible deterrence posture is essential.

 

India’s MIRV push can serve as a powerful deterrent against potential adversaries, reaffirming its resolve to defend its sovereignty and national interests.

 

Long, strenuous journey

 

Designed and developed by the DRDO, Agni-5 has been tailored to meet India’s long-term strategic and security objectives. The missile is land-based and road-mobile, giving it high survivability and deployment flexibility. Experts say that it is expected to serve as a credible deterrent against adversaries, no matter where they are, either in the immediate or extended neighbourhood.

 

The Agni missile series, the backbone of India’s nuclear weapon delivery, has been developed as part of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) launched in 1983, which also produced the Prithvi, Nag, Akash, and Trishul missiles.

 

The Agni missile was developed by the DRDO using two existing boosters: a solid-fuelled first stage from India’s SLV-3 space launch vehicle and a modified Prithvi-I body for the missile’s upper stage.

 

In 1989, India flight tested the Agni demonstrator for the first time. The DRDO tested an upgraded Agni demonstrator in 1992, which included a manoeuvring re-entry vehicle and an open interstage, removing the need for ullage motors between the first and second stages. It conducted a third flight of the demonstrator in its upgraded configuration in 1994. Following the completion of re-entry studies, the DRDO repurposed the Agni demonstrator as a single-stage ballistic missile, the Agni-I.

 

Special features of Agni-V

 

It was first test-fired in April 2012 from Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha. Following that, India conducted numerous advanced missile feature tests.

 

The surface-to-surface ballistic missile’s three-stage solid-fuel propulsion ensures rapid launch readiness and survivability, while its canisterised road-mobile configuration provides flexibility, concealment, and long-term storage capability without degradation.

 

At 17.5 meter in length and weighing close to 50 tonne, Agni-5 carries a payload of up to 1,500 kilograms, which can be fitted with conventional or nuclear warheads, including advanced bunker-buster variants capable of penetrating fortified subterranean targets.

 

The system also employs penetration aids and decoys, ensuring that advanced missile defence networks such as THAAD, HQ-19, and S-400 would face immense difficulty in intercepting the missile during any real conflict scenario.

 

The Agni-5 forms a critical backbone of India’s nuclear triad, complementing air-delivered weapons such as Rafale and Mirage 2000 nuclear strike platforms, and the naval deterrence role of ballistic missile submarines INS Arihant and INS Arighaat.

 

Agni missile series has elevated India’s profile not only in technological, scientific, and security fields but also in international politics, thereby raising nuclear deterrence and boosting defence arsenal.

 

Experts say that India’s test represents a challenge to China’s regional dominance. Pakistan, however, is short of achieving intercontinental capability.

 

India is simultaneously advancing its next-generation Agni-Prime program, designed to replace older short and medium-range systems, and pursuing hypersonic strike platforms capable of Mach-8 manoeuvrability to complement its ballistic arsenal.

 

The Agni-5 significantly strengthens India’s nuclear triad, complementing land-based systems, nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), and air-delivered platforms such as Mirage 2000 and Rafale armed with nuclear gravity bombs.

 

India’s nuclear doctrine commits to “no first use”, with weapons to be used only in retaliation against a nuclear attack on Indian territory. The doctrine asserts that nuclear retaliation to a first strike will be massive.