India has successfully test fired its indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile Agni-III, the nuclear capable ballistic missile having a range of more than 3,000 km from Wheeler Island off Odisha coast. The missile was test fired from a mobile launcher at launch complex-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR). The trial was carried out by the Strategic Forces Command of the Indian Army and was declared successful.

The Agni-III missile is powered by a two-stage solid propellant system. With a length of 17 metres, the missile’s diameter is 2 metres and launch weight is around 50 tonnes. Agni III was developed by the DRDO and the missile was inducted in the armed forces in June 2011. The missile can carry a warhead of 1.5 tonne which is protected by carbon all composite heat shield.

The Logistic support for the test was provided by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The entire trajectory of the trial was monitored through various advanced techniques, telemetry stations, and highly sophisticated radars located along the coast.

On April 15th, Pakistan successfully test-fired the Nuclear capable Ghauri missile, which can carry warheads up to a distance of 1300 km, bringing many Indian cities under its range.