India has taken a giant leap in defence with the successful test of the Agni-5 missile from Odisha’s Chandipur coast. A column of fire lit up the sky, marking another milestone in India’s indigenous missile program. Capable of striking targets over 5,000 km away, the nuclear-capable Agni-5 strengthens India’s “no-first-use” doctrine and signals its growing strategic might. Designed by the DRDO, the missile can eventually carry MIRVs — multiple warheads in one launch — putting India in an elite global club. Palki Sharma brings you more.
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00:05From the quiet coastlines of Odisha, a column of fire roared into the sky.
00:10A test of the Agni-5 missile, one of the most sophisticated weapons in India's arsenal.
00:15On paper, it's a missile. In practice, it's a message.
00:18India is now part of a small club of nations capable of hitting targets thousands of kilometers away.
00:24That too with nuclear precision.
00:26Like I said, the test was carried out from the integrated test range at Chandipur, that is right off Odisha's coast.
00:36India's defense ministry confirmed the missile test.
00:38It said, and I'm quoting, that it validated all operational and technical parameters.
00:44In simple terms, it worked exactly as expected.
00:49Now let's talk about the missile itself.
00:51The word Agni means fire, and this missile certainly lives up to its name.
00:55The Agni-5 can travel more than 5,000 kilometers, that covers almost all of Asia, 5,000 kilometers, including northern China, also some parts of Europe.
01:07But range is not its only calling card.
01:09The Agni-5 is nuclear capable.
01:11It can carry a warhead weighing up to 1.5 tons.
01:151.5 tons, that makes it central to India's no-first-used nuclear doctrine.
01:22Think of it as the ultimate insurance policy.
01:24It is not meant to be fired first, but it does guarantee retaliation if push ever comes to shove.
01:31And here's where it gets futuristic.
01:32The Agni-5 is designed to eventually carry MIRVs, multiple, independently targetable re-entry vehicles.
01:43The MIRV is basically a missile equipped with multiple warheads.
01:47It can hit a range of targets in a single strike.
01:50China already has this weapon, by the way.
01:52It has this technology.
01:53So does Russia, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom.
01:56So India is part of an elite club now.
01:59In fact, this test comes a year after the Agni-5 was first tested with an MIRV.
02:06The last one was on March 11, 2024.
02:10So this one brings it a step closer to operational readiness.
02:15However, it will still take a few years.
02:18A few years for the Agni-5 with MIRV to become fully operational.
02:22But even then, it's a major defense milestone.
02:25And here's something equally important.
02:27The Agni-5 is fully indigenous.
02:30Made at home.
02:31Made in India.
02:32Developed by the DRDO, India's Defense Research and Development Organization.
02:37So this is a missile designed, developed, and tested entirely in India.
02:44And the Agni-5 is not the only one.
02:45It joins earlier Agni missiles, which cover ranges from 700 kilometers to 3,500 kilometers.
02:52Together, they form the land-based backbone of India's nuclear deterrent.
02:56Add to that India's nuclear submarines and aircraft.
02:59And what you have is what strategists call the nuclear triad.
03:04Land, sea, and air-based delivery systems.
03:07A triad.
03:08But why now?
03:09Why did India test these missiles now?
03:13The timing is important.
03:14It's worth noting.
03:15India has been on a spree of missile tests in the past few months.
03:19After all, look at the neighborhood.
03:21Pakistan remains a persistent threat.
03:23Unpredictable.
03:24Unstable.
03:25China, meanwhile, is expanding its nuclear arsenal at breakneck speed.
03:32Extending its missile reach into the Indian Ocean.
03:35So the subtext of India's test is clear.
03:38New Delhi is making sure it is not left behind.
03:41This test was not just about technology.
03:45It was about signaling resolve to neighbors, to rivals, and most importantly, to the world.
03:51The Agni 5 is not just a weapon.
03:53It is India's way of saying we are prepared for any and every threat.
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