Agni-V ICBM joins the Indian arsenal
India successfully tested its Agni-V missile in late October. (Photo: Indian MoD)
India can now boast an ICBM amongst its missile arsenal as worries continue over border tensions with China.
An Agni-V ballistic missile, 17m long and with a 5,000km range, was successfully test-fired from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in the eastern Indian state of Odisha on 27 October.
The launch was supervised by the tri-services Strategic Forces Command (SFC), part of the Nuclear Command Authority that had been formed 18 years ago.
After this eighth and final test, induction of the missile will now see it join the SFC arsenal of land-based ballistic missiles that already includes the Prithvi, Agni-I, Agni-II, Agni-III and Agni-IV.
The three-stage Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) utilises a solid-fuel engine. This launch followed the test
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