India conducts successful test-launch of Agni-1 ballistic missile

India has successfully test-fired short-range ballistic missile ‘Agni-1’ from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha.
The test was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command (SFC).
- The tri-service Strategic Forces Command was created in 2003 to manage the strategic nuclear assets of India.

Ballistic missiles are rocket-propelled weapons that follow a predetermined arched trajectory.
- These missiles can travel vast distances and are capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads.
- They often exit the Earth’s atmosphere before re-entering to strike their targets.
In contrast, cruise missiles are guided missiles that remain within the Earth’s atmosphere throughout their flight.
- Powered by jet engines, they maintain a constant speed and are designed for precision strikes.
- Cruise missiles can be launched from various platforms, including aircraft, ships, and ground-based launchers.
- They typically fly at lower altitudes, making them harder to detect by radar systems.

Developed after the 1999 Kargil war, Agni-1 was created to precisely fill the tactical gap between the 250-km range Prithvi-II and the longer-range Agni-II missile.
- The Agni series ranges from Agni-I to Agni-V, with the latter the most advanced (with a range of 5,000 km) and first tested in 2012. Other missiles in the series include Agni-I, Agni-II (2,000 km), and Agni-III and IV (2,500–3,500 km).
Agni-1, with a range of 700km to 1200km, is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads and is designed for quick deployment and high mobility.
It is designed to be road-mobile via specialised transporter erector launchers and can also be launched from rail-based platforms.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Agni-1 has already been deployed by the Indian armed forces and serves as a crucial component of India’s strategic deterrence.

GET IN TOUCH