New Delhi, October 5
The short-range nuclear capable Army variant of India's indigenously developed Agni-I was test-fired from the Wheelers Island off the Orissa coast today. The test firing, termed as ‘user trial’, was conducted from a mobile launcher from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) launch complex-4 around 10:38 am.

The first ‘training trial’ of the Agni-I missile will lead to its full operationalisation to complete its induction process into the service. This is also of great strategic importance as this trial also helped determine the procedures and time required to launch a nuclear missile by the armed forces.

This was the fourth test firing of the surface-to-surface ballistic missile, which is capable of striking a target upto a distance of 700 km.

There were ‘considerable improvements in its re-entry technology and maneuverability’ since Agni's first trial was carried out on January 25, 2002, from the Wheelers Island. The second and third trials were conducted on January 9, 2003 and July 4, 2004, from the same launching site.

The Agni-I was inducted into the Army in 2004 after over a decade of development trials by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). This short-range ballistic missile can be launched from both a road-based system and a broad gauge rail launcher system.

Taking no chances after Indonesia brewed up a diplomatic row in April saying that one of its passenger planes was forced to turn around midway due to the Agni-III test fire, India had earlier issued notices for diverting civilian air traffic in the region in anticipation of the launch.

Defence sources said the prime objective of the trial was to fine tune and reconfirm the technical parametres set for this users launch.

Based on the data from the network of ground radars, telemetry stations and observations from the intended impact point, results of today's trial would be studied and analysed. Agni-I is a single stage version of Agni-II missile.

It has a length of 15 metres and weighs 12 tons. It is capable of carrying a 1, 000 kg payload and both nuclear as well as conventional warhead.

The missile is powered by solid fuel rocket that propels it at a velocity of 2.5 km per second. The Army has already raised a missile group (334) for the 700 km range Agni-I ballistic missile.

The training trial came months after a similar test was carried out on the short-range Prithvi missile in May to validate standard operating procedures of the Army’s special missile groups.