Agni-I has a range of 700 kilometers, sufficient (in theory) to reach Pakistan. In April, India tested a missile of the same family, the Agni-V, able to reach China with a radius of 5 thousand kilometers.

New Delhi (AsiaNews / Agencies) - This morning, India successfully tested the Agni-I missile to carry nuclear weapons capable of reaching targets in Pakistan, with a range of 700 kilometers. The launch took place at Wheeler Island, off the coast of Orissa, and was conducted by the Defense Research Development Organization (DRDO).

15 meters long and weighing 12 tonnes, Agni-I has a special navigation system that allows it to reach any target with a high degree of accuracy and precision. The missile can carry up to one ton of cargo.

Today's success is yet another, new step in the arms race for New Delhi. In April it launched India's Agni-V missile for the transport of long-range nuclear weapons, dubbed "China Killer" because it is capable of reaching the big cities of Beijing and Shanghai, with a range of over 5 thousand kilometers.

India began to develop a series of "Agni" missiles in 1983.  They are among the most sophisticated weapons in the nation's arsenal. The name derives from Sanskrit and Agni was the Hindu god of fire.

 

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