Agni-V's launch is a major milestone

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Next big project is multiple warheads

The about 5,000 km range Agni-5 was launched from a test range at Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha at 0807 hours and took 15 minutes to reach its target in southern Indian Ocean.

DRDO took four years to develop the missile.

After India test-fired the ambitious Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Agni-V entering the elite club of countries possessing the 5,000-km range long-range ballistic missile, Defence Research and Development Organisation chief VK Saraswat fuelled hopes once again stating that there would be an Agni-VI project.

The country’s premier defence organisation stated that the focus would now be on launching multiple independent re-entry vehicles (MIRVs) that would give a single missile the capability of hitting multiple targets on re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere from space.

Dr Saraswat added that the DRDO would focus on its ability to launch mini satellites along with its ability to hit a satellite in space. He, however, added that Indian was opposed to the weaponisation of space and that it will not involve itself in the development of such a weapon.

On being asked if the DRDO was capable of launching or developing technologies to launch missiles with a range of 10,000 km, Dr Saraswat expressed confidence and said that if such an ICBM was decided to be developed, it would take three or four years to do the same.

He added that there was no threat that facilitated the development of such an ICBM of such a range. He also made it clear that there was no set policy to restrict the missile range 5000 kms.