Agni-IV, a nuclear weapons-capable strategic missile, was successfully test-fired from a road-mobile launcher on Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha’s Damra village on Monday. The two-stage, surface-to-surface missile is 20 metres long and weighs 17 tonnes. It is capable of carrying a one-tonne nuclear warhead up to a distance of 4,000 km. It has been designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation,
The Indian Army has already deployed this missile, which was earlier known as Agni Prime. It has been successfully test launched five times, in 2011, 2012, 2014 (two tests) and 2015.
India currently has the Agni-I (700-km range), Agni-II (2,000-km range), Agni-III and the Agni-V, which is its most missile in terms of navigation, guidance, warhead and engine. The 5,000-km range Agni V missile was successfully flight tested on December 26. The DRDO is reportedly in the process of building Agni-VI, which will have a strike range of 8,000 km to 10,000 km.
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