On a day when two personnel of Border Security Forces (BSF) was martyred due to heavy shelling along the International Border in Jammu by Pakistani forces, India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Long Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-5. The state-of-the-art surface-to-surface missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has a strike range of 5,000 kilometres and can carry a nuclear warhead of more than one tonne. This is the sixth developmental and third trial of the long range missile. Unlike other missiles of Agni series, the latest one ‘Agni-5’ is the most advanced having new technologies incorporated with it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine.
Once this missile is inducted in Services, India will join the super exclusive club of countries with Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles ICBMs alongside the US, Russia, China, France and the UK. The missile is expected to be inducted into armed forces after few more trials. With China making rapid progress in missile development, it has become necessary for India to develop strong missile defence system. Most of the earlier missiles developed by India is Pakistan centric and there is urgent need to look beyond Pakistan. The early induction of Agni-5 will give India credible nuclear deterrent against countries like China. Also the progress made by Indian defence scientists in the field of nuclear missile programme shows that if given proper support, they can achieve remarkable success.