India successfully test-fires Agni-4 ballistic missile

• India successfully test-fired nuclear-capable medium range ballistic missile Agni-4 from the Integrated Test Range in Odisha’s Chandipur on August 6.

• The testing of the missile was carried out by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC).

What are Agni missiles?

• The Agni missiles are long-range, nuclear weapons-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missiles developed by India.

• India’s Agni missile class forms the core of its nuclear deterrent, alongside other key elements like Prithvi short-range ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and nuclear-capable fighter aircraft.

• The Agni missile series, from Agni-1 to Agni-5, has been designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), showcasing India’s advanced missile technology.

Ranges of Agni Missiles:

• Agni-1: Short-range ballistic missile with a range of 700-800 km.

• Agni-2: Medium-range missile with a range exceeding 2,000 km.

• Agni-3: Capable of hitting targets over 2,500 km away.

• Agni-4: A longer-range missile with a range of over 3,500 km, designed for mobility and can be fired from a road-mobile launcher.

• Agni-5: The most advanced and longest-range missile in the series, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range exceeding 5,000 km.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)