India conducts successful test-launch of Agni-1 ballistic missile

NEW DELHI: India on Friday successfully test-fired short-range ballistic missile ‘Agni-1’ from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha, on Friday. The launch validated all operational and technical parameters. The test was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command, a statement from the defence ministry said.

The missile, with a range of 700km to 1200km, is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads and is designed for quick deployment and high mobility.

Developed after the 1999 Kargil war, Agni-1 was created to precisely fill the tactical gap between the 250-km range Prithvi-II and the longer-range Agni-II missile. It is designed to be road-mobile via specialised transporter erector launchers and can also be launched from rail-based platforms.

The successful launch marks another milestone in India’s strategic defence preparedness and reinforces the credibility of the country’s minimum credible deterrence capability.

The launch of Agni-1 came just weeks after the successful flight trial of an advanced Agni missile with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle off the Odisha coast on May 8. Developed by DRDO, Agni-1 has already been deployed by the Indian armed forces and serves as a crucial component of India's strategic deterrence.