India successfully launched the Agni-Prime intermediate range missile using a rail-based mobile launcher system, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday.
This next generation missile has a range up to 2,000km (1,242 miles) and is equipped with advanced features, Singh said in a post on X.
“The first-of-its-kind launch carried out from specially designed Mobile Launcher, the missile has the capability to move on rail network without any pre-conditions that allows user to have cross country mobility and launch within a short reaction time with reduced visibility,” he said.
Singh added that the test places India among a select group of nations capable of launching canisterized missiles from a rail-mobile system.
The Agni missiles are developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization, the country’s primary government agency responsible for designing and manufacturing weapons systems.
In August, India successfully tested the Agni-5, a nuclear-capable ballistic missile that can be launched from mobile platforms. With a range of up to 5,000km, it is capable of striking targets across most of Asia and reaching into parts of Europe.
The South Asian nation is aiming to achieve self-reliance in military hardware. It has conducted several crucial missile tests in recent months, including the subsonic Nirbhay cruise missile, which has a strike range of 1,000km and is considered a powerful addition to the country’s missile arsenal alongside the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile, co-developed with Russia.
India has also deployed the Agni-1 to Agni-4 missiles, with ranges of 700 to 3,500km.
