Agni-I Ballistic Missile
- Context:India on may 22 successfully carried out the test-launch of the Agni-1 short-range ballistic missile from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur.
- The Agni-1 is a short-range ballistic missile developed as part of India’s strategic defense capability and forms an important component of the country’s deterrence architecture.
About Agni-I Ballistic Missile
- Agni-I is a medium-range ballistic missile developed by India with a strike range of about 700 to 900 km.
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- It is a single-stage missile powered by solid fuel.
- The missile can carry a nuclear warhead with an approximate payload capacity of 1,000 kg.
- Recent upgrades include an improved guidance system for better accuracy and an enhanced warhead with greater destructive capability.
- Being road-mobile, the missile can be transported and launched from different locations, making it difficult for adversaries to detect and target.
- Agni-I was first successfully tested in 2002.
- It was inducted into service by the Strategic Forces Command of the Indian Army in 2007.
- The missile was developed under India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) launched in 1983.
