India on Wednesday successfully carried out the test-firing of its Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) Agni-5 from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha. According to the Ministry of Defence, the launch met all operational and technical benchmarks and was conducted under the supervision of the Strategic Forces Command.
Recent Missile Trials in Odisha
The latest test comes weeks after India’s successful trials of the short-range ballistic missiles Prithvi-II and Agni-I. On July 18, both systems were fired from the same test range in Odisha. The Defence Ministry had confirmed in its statement that the launches, conducted under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command, validated all required operational and technical parameters.
Akash Prime Breakthrough in Ladakh
Just two days prior, on July 16, the Indian Army achieved a major advancement by neutralising two high-speed unmanned aerial targets at altitude using Akash Prime, an upgraded version of the Akash Weapon System. Designed to function at heights above 4,500 metres, the system incorporates several improvements, including an indigenously built Radio Frequency seeker.
The Defence Ministry said these upgrades were based on feedback from field operations, aimed at boosting performance and effectiveness in high-altitude regions. The system has been developed through collaboration between Army Air Defence, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Defence Public Sector Units such as Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited, along with other industry partners.
The firing was part of the First of Production Model trial and is expected to pave the way for timely induction of the system into service, further strengthening India’s air defence in frontier zones. The achievement follows the notable success of indigenous air defence systems during Operation Sindoor, marking another leap forward in the country’s missile development initiatives that are now drawing attention globally.
