New Delhi: India on Thursday joined the exclusive club of nations having inter-continental nuclear-capable missiles with the successful test-firing of Agni-III.
Inter-continental missile reach is considered the benchmark in establishing nuclear weapons capability and the success of Agni-III provided India a more assured second-strike capability.
The Agni III is the country’s longest-range missile, capable of carrying nuclear warheads across much of Asia – putting China's major cities well into range, as well as targets deep in west Asia.
The nuclear capable 3,000 km intermediate range ballistic missile Agni-III was fired from the Interim Test Range (ITR) at the Wheeler's Island in the Bay of Bengal off the Orissa coast.
The indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile, blasted off at 1052 hrs IST from a fixed platform with the help of an auto launcher in the launch complex-4 of the ITR, located about 72 km from here, defence sources said.
Fitted with an on-board computer, the two-stage missile was designed to go up to a distance of 90 km vertically crossing the atmosphere and re-enter into the earth targetting the predetermined impact point near Car Nicobar Island, the sources said.
The problem with the heat shield which led to the failure of the earlier launch in July 2006 was declared resolved.
A new composite propellant was used in the launch. The 48 ton missile carried a one-and-a-half ton payload simulating as a nuclear bomb with a total payload ranging between 600 kg and 1.8 tonne.
It also features decoys and other anti-ballistic counter measures.
Defence Minister AK Antony has congratulated defence scientists. The successful test of the missile extends the reach of India's strategic weapons beyond its immediate neighbourhood.
(With inputs from Associated Press)
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