New Delhi: After successful test-fire of Agni-V off the Odisha coast last month, India is in the process of inducting the first batch of its intercontinental ballistic missile system to bolster the country’s military prowess and brings targets across China within its range.
According to official sources, the missile system, with a strike range of 5,000 km and capable of carrying nuclear warhead weighing 1.5 tonnes, are being inducted into the elite Strategic Forces Command (SFC).
“A series of user trials are being conducted before the country’s most sophisticated weapon is handed over to the SFC,” the official added.
An official, who is a part of the Agni programme, said that it is a strategic asset. “It will act as a deterrent. We are at the fag end of the strategic project,” the official added.
A number of other pre-induction tests are also being planned.
The missile is being inducted at a time when India’s neighbourhood is witnessing evolving security threats. Very few countries, including the US, China, France, Russa and North Korea, have these intercontinental ballistic missile.
India currently has Agni-1 with 700km range, Agni-2 with a 2,000km range, Agni-3 and Agni-4 with 2,500km to more than 3,500km range
The government is also working on several key projects, which includes integrating the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile on 40 Sukhoi combat aircraft.
