India Successfully Tests Agni-V Missile

India successfully test-fired the Agni-5, a surface-to-surface ballistic missile that can accurately attack targets up to 5,000 kilometers away. At 7:50 p.m., Agni-5, an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, was launched from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. The successful Agni-5 test is consistent with India's declared policy of credible minimum deterrence, which underlies the pledge to 'No First Use.' Agni-5 was tested for the first time in 2012.

Along with submarine-based nuclear missiles, the missile represents the cornerstone of India's nuclear deterrence, which had not previously been tested to anywhere near this range. The missile has a three-stage solid-fuel engine that allows it to hit targets with extreme precision. The Defence Research and Development Organisation created and developed the Agni-1 to 5 missiles. Apart from the Agni-5, India's other Agni missiles include the Agni-1, which has a range of 700 kilometers, the Agni-2, which has a range of 2,000 kilometers, and the Agni-3 and Agni-4, which have a range of 2,500 kilometers to more than 3,500 kilometers.