New Delhi: India has successfully test-fired its most advanced intermediate-range ballistic missile, Agni-5, from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha, marking a major milestone in the country’s strategic defense program. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the indigenously developed missile, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, met all mission objectives and validated its operational readiness. The test was conducted under the Strategic Forces Command and is being seen as a reaffirmation of India’s growing nuclear deterrence capabilities.

The Agni-5 missile has a strike range of up to 5,000 kilometers, enabling India to cover almost all of Asia, including northern China, as well as parts of Europe. It incorporates cutting-edge technology such as high-precision navigation systems, road-mobile launch capability, and multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle technology, allowing a single missile to carry several warheads aimed at different targets. Defense experts say this makes it a cornerstone of India’s second-strike nuclear capability, ensuring survivability and strengthening its deterrence posture.

The test comes at a time of heightened regional tension, with India’s relations with China and Pakistan remaining sensitive. The missile’s extended reach places key Chinese cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, within striking distance, a development that has already drawn concern from Islamabad, which warned of an intensifying arms race in South Asia. The timing of the test, just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, has added to its geopolitical significance.

While Indian officials described the launch as a routine user trial, analysts view it as a powerful signal of the country’s growing defense self-reliance and strategic maturity. The successful test highlights India’s commitment to its doctrine of credible minimum deterrence and its readiness to defend sovereignty in the face of evolving security challenges in the region.