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India successfully test-fires Agni-5, its most powerful nuclear-capable missile, marking a major step in strategic deterrence and future MIRV technology deployment
Agni-5 missile has a strike capability of over 5,000 km. (Image: PTI/File)
India on Wednesday carried out a successful test of its most advanced nuclear-capable ballistic missile, Agni-5, from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Odisha. With a strike capability of over 5,000 km, the missile has the potential to reach the farthest corners of China, marking a significant step forward in India’s strategic deterrence program.
Defence officials confirmed that the launch was smooth and achieved all mission objectives. Agni-5 belongs to India’s long-range Agni series of missiles, but what makes it unique is its compatibility with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. This enables a single missile to carry three to four nuclear warheads, each capable of hitting separate targets hundreds of kilometres apart by following different speeds and trajectories. However, experts say the MIRV-equipped version will take a few more years to become operational.
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Why Chandipur Is India’s Missile Playground
Every major missile test in India, from short-range systems to intercontinental-range trials, is carried out from Chandipur, a coastal town in Odisha’s Balasore district. Its location on the Bay of Bengal makes it ideal for launching missiles over the sea, ensuring that populated areas remain safe and that trajectories can be tracked without obstruction.
The Integrated Test Range, affiliated with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is equipped with state-of-the-art radar, telemetry, and electro-optical tracking systems. These facilities allow scientists to monitor the missile’s every stage of flight in real time and conduct a detailed performance analysis afterward.
The ITR is divided into two main complexes:
1. Launch Complex-III (Chandipur coast): Primarily used for testing short-range missiles such as Prithvi, Akash, and Trishul. These tests are carried out over the Bay of Bengal to ensure safety and provide a clear trajectory path.
2. Launch Complex-IV (Abdul Kalam Island): Located about 150 km from Chandipur, this island, named after former President and ‘Missile Man’ Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, is reserved for testing long-range systems like Agni-5 and Agni-Prime. Equipped with rail lines for transporting missile components, the island provides a secure, isolated launch site over open seas.
Testing Without Maximum Range
Although Agni-5 has a range of more than 5,000 km, India rarely fires missiles to their maximum distance during trials. Instead, tests are carried out in what officials describe as a “disengaged” or shortened mode. By adjusting the missile’s speed and trajectory, scientists ensure it falls into international waters of the Bay of Bengal.
Indian Navy warships are deployed in the region during such tests to track the missile’s path, collect telemetry data, and ensure no security breaches occur. Firing a missile at its full range would require enormous uninhabited zones and could risk entering another country’s airspace, an act prohibited under international laws.
Why Location Matters
India’s geography does not allow full-range firing of intercontinental missiles without crossing into foreign airspace. That is why Chandipur and Abdul Kalam Island, with their proximity to the Bay of Bengal, serve as perfect launch sites. The sea offers a vast, empty, and secure environment for both trajectory monitoring and secrecy.
Analysts point out that apart from range validation, repeated testing is essential to check boosters, guidance systems, and payload integration. Reliability trials are also carried out even after induction into service.
Strategic Significance
With the successful test of Agni-5, India reinforces its position in the elite group of countries capable of deploying intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). When the MIRV variant becomes operational, India’s deterrence posture will be significantly enhanced, as one missile will be able to neutralise multiple targets simultaneously.
- Location :
Odisha (Orissa), India, India
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