Army special missile group tests Agni I

A short Defence Ministry statement confirmed that the Strategic Forces Command conducted the user trial. “The performance parameters of the 700-km range missile were as expected and the desired objectives have been met,” the statement said.

While Agni I has been test-fired several times during the developmental stage, Friday’s launch was the first trial fully conducted by the Army’s Special Missile Group that has been entrusted with the country’s nuclear capable missiles—Agni I and the Agni II with a 2,000 km plus range.

Sources said the launch was conducted from a mobile launcher system, signaling that the army’s ‘334 Missile Group’ has fully operationlised the road-based and broad-gauge rail launcher systems—vital for moving the missile to a safe location in the event of an attack.

While both Agni I and II have been inducted into the army, the latter is yet to be fully operationalised. The long-range Agni III, which can strike targets at distances of over 3,500 km, is currently in the developmental stage.

Earlier in the week, India had issued notices for diverting civilian air traffic in the region in anticipation of the launch. Over- flight restrictions were imposed in the wake of an incident when Indonesia complained that one of its airliners was forced to divert due to the Agni-III’s test launch.

The missile

• Agni-I is a single stage version of the Agni-II missile

• It has a length of 15 metres and weighs 12 tonnes

• It is capable of carrying a 1,000-kg payload and both nuclear as well as conventional warheads