Agni-5 missile: Earlier this week, India successfully test-fired the Agni-5 ultra long-range ballistic missile, sending shivers down the spine of enemy nations like China and Pakistan, who release that India’s lethal ‘Brahmastra’ could devastate their inner cities within minutes in a war-like scenario.
However, apart from China and Pakistan, the Agni-5 is also capable of reaching targets withing the border of five other major countries, including Russia, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
What makes Agni-5 India’s most lethal missile?
The nuclear-capable Agni-5, which was test fired on Wednesday, is the deadliest in India’s missile arsenal, boasting a range of 5,000 km, that can be extended to nearly 7,000 km if required. The Agni-5 missile can carry either a nuclear or a conventional warhead weighing up to 8 tonnes, giving it enough firepower to destroy large installations and cause destruction over a wide range.
The missile is can be used in two modes, as an airburst– an aerial explosion over a large area to destroy military installations like airbases, radar systems, and runway– or as a bunker buster bomb, targeting underground command centers or nuclear arsenals located up to 80 km deep within the ground.
Additionally, the Agni-5 missile, weighing at around 5o tonnes, is equipped with MIRV technology, which means it can destroy multiple targets simultaneously.
Which countries can be targeted with Agni-5 missile?
Based on a range analysis by Newsweek, the whole of China and Pakistan fall within the range of India’s Agni-5 missile. The missile is also capable of reaching Japan in the east, southern Russia in the north, Iraq and Saudi Arabia in the west and the north-west waters of Australia in the south.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Agni-5 is the longest-range, and arguably deadliest missile in India’s missile arsenal.
- Pakistan, China, and five other countries fall within the range of Agni-5’s 5,000 km range.
- Agni-5 can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads.
- The advanced missile is equipped with MIRV technology.
As per the report, Agni-5 missile is capable of reaching targets across South Asia as well as five other countries. As per a September 2024 report on Indian nuclear weapons by the Federation of American Scientists, Agni-5 is kept in a sealed canister on the launcher, meaning that a warhead can be permanently attached to the missile.