Take A Look At India¡¯s Agni Missile Series, It's A Nightmare For India's Adversaries

Despite military-level talks, tensions continue between India and China. The Indian Army and PLA troops clashed near the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh state. De-escalation work has taken place since a major clash in June 2020.

India¡¯s Agni Missile Series

Locked in a standoff in Tawang, India is in no mood to back down. China, for its part, has been keeping up with the rhetoric and warmongering. India, however, is quietly working on a deterrent. Apart from modernising the nuclear arsenal, India is developing delivery platforms that include the formidable Agni V missile. With a range of 5,000 km, it covers the entire country of China. This Agni-5 missile is capable of reaching targets beyond a range of 5,000 kilometres with a very high degree of accuracy.

Agni missile series

The Agni missile is a family of medium- to intercontinental-range ballistic missiles developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme of the Defence Research and Development Organisation of India. Agni missiles are long-range, nuclear weapons-capable, surface-to-surface ballistic missiles.

India's frontline of defence

India Agni Missile Series | File Photo

The Agni missile family consists of long-range, surface-to-surface ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear bombs. There are three deployed variants: Agni-I, Agni-II, and Agni-III, all of which are in service with the Indian Army. Agni-IV, the fourth missile in the Agni series, successfully completed all trials in January 2017. In the past two decades, India has developed and held successful trials of the Agni-1, Agni-2, Agni III, Agni IV, and Agni V missiles.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested the new generation nuclear-capable ballistic missile ¡®Agni P¡¯ in 2021.

Agni-I short-range ballistic missile

The Agni-I is the shortest-range and oldest missile in the Agni family of Indian nuclear-capable missiles. It was first tested at the interim test range in Chandipur, off the coast of Orissa, India, in May 1989.

Agni Missile Series | Agni I | PTI

This is a two-stage solid-fuel missile that can be stored in canisters and transported by road and rail. Agni-I is used by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the Indian Army. The Agni-I has a range of 700 kilometres, according to reports.

The Agni-I missile has a specialised navigation system that ensures it reaches the target with a high degree of accuracy and precision. Weighing 12 tons, the 15-metre-long Agni-I can carry payloads up to 1000 kg.

Agni-II medium-range ballistic missile

Agni Missile Series | Agni 2 | File Photo

After the success of Agni I, ISRO developed the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which had four stages and used a mix of solid and liquid fuel. This development heavily inspired the Agni II missile, especially its second stage. The rocket has two stages with solid fuel. This two-stage design has been touted for its mobility and adaptability. With a 2000-kilometer range, India could reach all of Pakistan and most of southeastern China.

- The Agni-II is a medium-range ballistic missile equipped with two solid fuel stages.

- It was test-fired in April 1999 from the IC-4 pad.

- The nuclear-capable Agni-II was tested by a special strategic command force in May 2010.

- Agni-II is 20 metres long, one metre in diameter, and weighs approximately 18 tonnes.

Agni-III intermediate-range ballistic missile

India¡¯s Agni series missiles were upgraded concurrently with the country¡¯s advancements in space technology.

Agni-III is also expected to be the world's most accurate strategic ballistic missile of its range class.

Agni Missile Series | Agni III | Twitter

-The Agni-III was test fired in July 2006 from Wheeler Island but failed to reach its target. It was tested successfully on its second flight in 2007 and then at its third consecutive launch in 2008.

- Agni-III intermediate-range ballistic missile can travel up to 3,500 kilometres.

Agni-III is a two-stage ballistic missile that can carry nuclear weapons.

- DRDO (Defense Research and Development Organization) designed

Agni-IV intermediate-range ballistic missile

Agni-IV is the fourth missile in the Agni series, which was previously known as Agni II Prime. Agni IV bridges the gap between Agni II and Agni III. Agni-IV falls under the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which is operationally responsible for all of India¡¯s nuclear assets.

Agni Missile Series | Agni-IV | File Photo

- It is an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile with a range of around 4,000 km.

- Developed by: the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

- It uses a two-stage rocket engine powered by solid propellants.

- It can carry a 1,000-kg payload and can go as high as 900 km.

- It is equipped with modern and compact avionics to provide a high level of reliability.

- It is equipped with state-of-the-art avionics, a 5th generation on-board computer, and a distributed architecture.

- The most accurate Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System (RINS), supported by the highly reliable redundant Micro Navigation System (MINGS), ensures the vehicle reaches the target with two-digit accuracy.

Agni-V Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

Agni Missile Series | Agni V | Reuters

On December 15, 2022, India successfully tested the nuclear-capable ballistic missile Agni V. This was the ninth test-firing of the Agni 5, which was first tested in 2012. The missile has a range of about 5,000 kilometres. The nuclear-capable Agni-V missile, which can even reach the northernmost parts of China with its strike range of over 5,000 km, had met all the parameters laid down for the test.

Facts About India's Agni-5 Nuclear-Capable Missile

- Agni-V can bring almost the entire Asia, including the northernmost part of China, as well as some regions in Europe, under its striking range.

- The Agni 5 missile is a three-stage, solid-rocket-powered missile system capable of delivering a 1.5-tonne nuclear warhead.

- Agni-V Missile is also the first missile to be launched at its maximum operational range, which exceeds 5,000 km.

- Agni-5 missile's first test was conducted in 2012; after that, India carried out many advanced feature tests of the missile.

Agni Prime nuclear-capable ballistic missile

Agni Missile Series | Agni Prime Ballistic Missile | File Photo

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested the new generation nuclear-capable ballistic missile "Agni P" in 2021. It is the latest and sixth variant of the Agni series missiles (under the IGMDP, or Integrated Guided Missile Development Program).

The Agni Prime missile is a new-generation advanced variant of the Agni class of missiles. It is a two-stage canisterised missile with a range capability between 1000 and 2000 kilometres.

Agni-Prime may be launched by train or road and stored for an extended period of time. It can be used to target enemy ships in the Indian Ocean.

Agni-VI Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

While the DRDO has not officially announced it, Agni-6 is said to be in development with a much longer range ranging from 8,000 km to 10,000 km and multi-independently targettable re-entry vehicle carrying capabilities.

Indian Agni-V missile | Agni Missile Series | AP

In 2018, the Chairman of the Armament Research Board, DRDO, S. K. Salwan claimed that India is capable of developing an ICBM that can hit targets beyond the range of 10,000 km, alongside the Agni-VI's ground version. It will be able to launch from both submarines and land.

Agni 6 could be a three-stage solid-fuel ICBM missile that will be heavier and thicker than the Agni-V. Agni-VI will be the first missile to have the capability to carry 4 or 6 multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRV) payloads. The question of MIRV technology is tricky, as some reports suggest that India may already have tested Agni 5 with MIRV technology. DRDO or the government have made no official statement on any Indian missile capable of MIRV.

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