Just in: Agni-5, India's intercontinental, nuclear-capable ballistic missile with a range of nearly 6,000 km, test fired off Odisha coast, says DRDO.


Agni-5, India's longest range nuclear capable missile, was test fired at Kalam Island off the Odisha coast today by the Defence Research and Development Organisation or DRDO.


The intercontinental surface-to-surface nuclear capable ballistic missile, the latest in India's "Agni" family of medium to intercontinental range missiles, has been through three trials before. The Agni 5 missile, with new technology for navigation and guidance, gives India the strategic depth it needs to contain its enemies, say scientists. After a few more trials, it will soon join India's military arsenal.


The 17-metre long Agni-5 Missile weighs about 50 tonnes and is a very agile and modern weapon system. The surface-to-surface missile is a fire-and-forget system that cannot be easily detected as it follows a ballistic trajectory.