India on 19 April 2012 successfully test-fired its maiden nuclear-tipped inter-continental ballistic missile ( ICBM) Agni-V. The missile successfully struck its target ranging 5000 km away from its launching point. It was test-fired from a mobile launcher at the Wheeler Island off Orissa coast.
India by the successful launch of Agni-V has entered into an elite group of nations which owes such technology.
With Agni- V’s 5000 km-range India has acquired the capability to hit targets in China, including Beijing, Eastern Europe, east Africa and the Australian coast.
Indigenously built the Agni-V is 17.5m tall, solid-fuelled, three-stage missile with a launch weight of 50 tons, which includes a 1.5 tonne warhead.
The defence Scientists began to work over Agni-V three years ago. This was the first testing of the missile.
