India's Agni-V missile: Five things you need to know

Marking a historic day in India's nuclear deterrence, India on Saturday successfully launched its longest range ballistic missile Agni-V from the Wheeler's Island off the Odisha coast. Being triumphant in the previous two test launches (once in 2011 and another in 2012) Agni-V has now made India a missile superpower. 

Agni-V is India's first intercontinental ballistic missile and is a significant achievement by the Defence Research and development Organisation of India (DRDO). The DRDO started the development of IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Project)- Agni missiles, in 1983 under the office of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Here are some interesting facts you must know about this super missile:

1. Agni-V is India's most potent missile yet and can cover a range of over 5000 kilometres in any direction. It is also a nuclear-capable missile, which means that it can carry a nuclear warhead and cover a long stretch equipped with that nuclear devise. Geographically, the missile's cover space ranges from all of China in the East to all of Europe in the West. 

2. The missile is able to travel faster than a bullet and can carry with it at least a 1000 kilogramme of nuclear weapon. However, the missile can only be launched on the direct orders of the Prime Minister of India and no one else. India has now joined an elite club with only Russia, China, US and France currently possessing the capability to operate an intercontinental ballistic missile. 

3. The three-stage missile is about 17 metres long and weighs about 50 tonnes. The first rocket engine equipped with the missile lifts it to a height of about 40 kilometres. The second stage pushes it to about 150 kilometres. The third stage takes Agni-V to about 300 kilometres above the Earth. And the missile finally reaches a height of about 800 kilometres. 

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4. The indigenously developed, intercontinental, surface to surface, nuclear capable ballistic missile is unlike other missiles in the Agni series. Agni-V is the most advanced system so far, which has various new technologies incorporated in it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine. The very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) and the most modern and accurate Micro Navigation System (MINS) ensures that the missile reaches the target point within few metres of accuracy designated.

5. In India's armoury of the Agni series missile, we are presently equipped with Agni-I which covers a range of 700 km, Agni-II which covers a range of 2000 kms, Agni-III which covers a range of 2500 kms and Agni-IV which covers a range of over 3500 kms. The recently launched Agni-V gives India the ability to launch nuclear weapons from anywhere in India. The missile will give India the strength to double-strike or hit back even if it gets hit in case of a nuclear strike. 

India also possesses other powerful missiles like Prithvi, Akash, Nag and Trishul where all have different strike capabilities and roles. However, Agni is by far the most superior set of missiles India is in possession of and the glorious launch of Agni-V has now set India in a far superior league altogether. 

Also Read: PM Narendra Modi lauds scientists for successful test-firing of Agni-V