India test-fires Agni-5 with 5,000-km range

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 27

In a major boost to its military might in the midst of the eastern Ladakh row, India on Wednesday said it successfully launched Agni-5, a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to a distance of 5,000 km.

Since the first launch in 2012, there have been more than half a dozen launches of the missile.

The missile that can be launched from land to hit at targets on ground was successfully launched from APJ Abdul Kalam Island (formerly Wheeler Island).

The Agni-5 is capable of striking targets at range up to 5,000 km with very high degree of accuracy, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. The missile uses a three-stage solid fuelled engine.

“Successful launch is in line with India’s policy to have ‘credible minimum deterrence’ that underpins the commitment to ‘No First Use’,” the Ministry of Defence said, adding that the launch was carried out around 7.50 pm.