India successfully launches Agni V ballistic missile

New Delhi, Sept 15: India on Sunday successfully launched Agni V, its longest-range

from Wheeler Island off the

coast. The first test-firing of the missile took place in April last year.

Agni V can launch two to three nuclear warheads at the same time. The missile is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to Bejing and Shanghai and even Habin City in the northernmost tip of China. The launching is seen as a major initiative by India to emerge a regional power able to counter the Chinese dominance.

Agni-V can carry nuclear warheads to the northernmost tip of China

Weighing about 50 tons, the 17-metre-long Agni V is a three-stage missile capable of carrying a 1.5-ton warhead with a range of 5,000 kilometres. Currently, India's longest-range missile is Agni III, which can cover upto 3,500 kilometres.

Last year, when Agni V was test-fired for the first time, its guidance system worked perfectly. A few more tests will be conducted before the missile's induction and deployment, most likely in 2017.

The development of the missile started three decades ago. The induction of the missile in India's nuclear arsenal will bolster the country's capacity to launch a second strike even after a nuclear attack.

OneIndia News