India sucessfully tests nuclear-capable Agni-I missile (Second Lead)

BHUBANESWAR - India Thursday successfully fired its nuclear capable surface-to-surface Agni-I missile from a test range in Orissa, a defence official said.

The missile, which can strike targets 700 km away, was tested as part of user-trials from a facility on Wheeler Island in Bhadrak district, about 200 km from here, test range director S.P. Dash told IANS.

“It was a text book….successful launch. It was tested by the army,” he said.

Agni-I is an intermediate range ballistic missile. It uses a solid propulsion booster and a liquid propulsion upper stage and is derived from the Prithvi surface-to-surface battlefield missile.

Developed under India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, the missile was first tested in May 1989.

The last test of the missile was successfully conducted March 28 from the same defence base.

Agni-I has already been inducted into the armed forces. It is 15 metres tall and weighs 12 tonnes. It can carry a one tonne nuclear payload.