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India Tested An Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

Tammy Harvey
Jan 19, 2018     
India Tested An Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

The Agni-V inter-continental ballistic missile, which has a range of 5000-km, can hit targets anywhere in Asia, and parts of Africa and Europe.

Officials confirmed on Twitter the Agni 5 missile was launched from a small island off India's east coast Thursday.

Once the weapon becomes operational, this will catapult India in a special league of countries - the US, UK, Russia, China and France - that possess missiles with a strike-range of more than 5,000km.

India today successfully test- fired intercontinental long-range ballistic surface to surface missile Agni V with a range of 5,000 km from the Abdul Kalam Island Island off Odisha coast.

The Agni-V, a three-stage solid fueled missile, has an approximate range of 5,500-5,800 kilometers [the exact range remains classified], and can carry a 1,500-kilogram (3,300-pound) nuclear warhead.

China criticized the missile according to a report in the Global Times, a state-run newspaper, slamming India's desire to enter the global intercontinental missile club.

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Developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the missile has a strike range of 5,000-8,000 km. China said the test was against UN Security Council rules and that it threatened to disrupt the strategic geopolitical balance in South Asia. "The nuclear security situation remains grave".

The first ICBM marks a giant leap in India's defence sector and this is also a significant step in deterring China along the embattled border. The two leaders, both considered faces of stark changes in their home countries, spoke glowingly of what the countries could accomplish by working together, CNN reported.

The third, fourth and today?s launch from a canister, integrated with a sophisticated mobile launcher, were in its deliverable configuration that enables launch of the missile with a very-short preparation time as compared to an open configuration.

India, like Pakistan, North Korea, and Iran, has not signed the treaty on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. New Delhi sees a twin "threat" from Pakistan, which is developing a nuclear and missile program of its own, and China.

The Agni 5 - Agni means fire in Hindi - is about 55 feet long and was developed in India.