India successfully test-fired canister-based ICBM Agni-5 missile

India on 31 January 2015 successfully test-fired indigenously developed canister-based inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) Agni-5 from Wheeler's Island off Odisha coast. Agni-5 is a surface-to-surface nuclear capable missile.

Agni-5 missile is a three stage solid propellant missile with strike range of over 5000 kilometer and capable of carrying nuclear warhead of over one tonne. It is about 17 meters long, 2 meters wide and has a launch weight of around 50 tonnes.

The missile reached the target point within few meters of accuracy with the help of very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) and the most modern and accurate Micro Navigation System (MINS).

This launch was the third developmental trial of the long range missile. The first and second tests were conducted on 19 April 2012 and 15 September 2013 from the same base.  Agni-5 will be inducted into the services after few more trial.

At present, India in its armoury of Agni series have Agni-1 with 700 km range, Agni-2 with 2000 km range, Agni-3 and Agni-4 with 2500 km to more than 3500 range.