Global Security Newswire

India is set within two to three months to carry out its first trial firing of a missile with flight capabilities approaching that of an ICBM, the Asian Age reported on Sunday (see GSN, Nov. 17, 2011).

The nuclear-capable Agni 5 missile's initial test launch had earlier been projected to take place before 2011 was over (see GSN, June 6, 2011). The weapon has a designed flight distance of approximately 3,100 miles, allowing it to reach areas as far away as northern China. The long-range ballistic missile is not expected to be fully operational before 2014, according to earlier reports.

The Agni 5 is the product of continuous work by 1,000 researchers to see the missile fully developed and ready for use, according to the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization.

"This has been a highly challenging experience for me because a highly accurate system has been developed," DRDO Advanced Systems Laboratory project head Tessy Thomas said to participants at the the annual Indian Science Congress.

The senior Indian scientist said the three-stage Agni 5 was designed as "a totally new system from top to bottom."

India's Agni 1, Agni 2 and Agni 3 missiles are already fielded in the Indian army while the Agni 4 is still under development. "More tests are required for Agni 4," Thomas said of the two-stage ballistic missile, which has a top flight range of 1,243 miles, according to previous reports.

The Agni 4 -- formerly known as the Agni 2 Prime -- was successfully flight-tested toward the end of last year (see GSN, Nov. 15, 2011).