India’s Ministry of Defence confirmed on August 20 that the Agni-5 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) was successfully flight-tested from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha. The launch, carried out by the Strategic Forces Command as part of a user-training exercise, met all technical parameters and validated performance under operational conditions.
The Agni-5 is a three-stage, solid-fueled missile with a range of more than 5,000 kilometers, capable of carrying nuclear or conventional payloads. Measuring about 17.5 meters in length and weighing roughly 50 metric tons, the system is designed for road mobility and canisterized storage, enabling rapid deployment from a Transporter Erector Launcher. It is guided by a ring laser gyroscope-based inertial navigation system, supported by India’s regional satellite network, with an estimated accuracy of 10 to 20 meters.
The missile’s re-entry vehicle is shielded with carbon-carbon composites, allowing it to withstand extreme heat during re-entry. Estimates place its maximum range around 5,800 kilometers, covering the entire Asian continent.
The Agni-5 provides India with extended strike capability against potential adversaries. Pakistan’s longest-range system, the Shaheen-III, has a maximum range of about 2,750 kilometers, while China fields longer-range missiles such as the DF-26 and DF-41. Agni-5 is seen as filling a key role by bringing all of mainland China within range, including major urban and military centers.
Although India has not confirmed whether Agni-5 is equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs), analysts note that its size and payload capacity could allow for such upgrades in the future.
The canisterized design marks a doctrinal shift toward quick-reaction launches, a capability considered important for maintaining a credible second-strike option under India’s No First Use nuclear policy. The missile can reportedly be launched within minutes, and its mobility across India’s vast interior enhances survivability by complicating adversary targeting.
The high accuracy of the system also provides counterforce capability, giving India the option—if it were to change its declared doctrine—of targeting hardened military infrastructure.
The test comes amid continued tensions along the Line of Actual Control with China, as well as concerns over China’s growing naval activity in the Indian Ocean and its strategic partnership with Pakistan. Pakistan, for its part, has invested in short-range nuclear systems such as the Nasr missile, heightening escalation risks in localized conflicts.
In this setting, the Agni-5 adds to India’s ability to deter both large-scale military action and nuclear coercion, while signaling strategic reassurance to its partners in the Indo-Pacific.
The missile was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) with contributions from Bharat Dynamics Limited and private sector suppliers, in line with India’s “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” self-reliance program. Future improvements under consideration include MIRV integration and enhanced space-based command and control links.
Following this successful user trial, the Agni-5 is expected to move toward formal induction into the Strategic Forces Command, establishing it as a central element of India’s nuclear deterrent posture.
This latest trial follows an earlier milestone in March 2024, when India conducted the first flight test of the Agni-5 equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. That test involved the deployment of three warheads over a range exceeding 3,000 kilometers, positioning India among the limited group of countries with proven MIRV capability.