Agni Prime: India To Test A New Variant Of Agni-I Nuclear-Capable Missile This Month

India is all set to test a new variant of its Agni-I nuclear-capable ballistic missile, called ‘Agni Prime’, the New Indian Express has reported.

The test of the new missile will take place later this week, sometime between June 28 and June 29, the report says, adding that the range of the missile will be between 1,000-1,500 kilometers.

“Missile assembling and integration with the launcher, exclusively developed for the missile are nearing end. A notice to airmen (Notam) has already been issued for the scheduled test of the missile. If everything goes as per plan, the weapon will be test-fired on Monday,” the daily quoted a source as saying.

While Agni-I is a single-stage missile, Agni Prime has two stages. It will have a canister version to bring down the time required to launch the missile.

Agni Prime will weigh less than the previous version of the missile as it incorporates new technology, including technologies used in 4000-kilometer range Agni-IV missile and 5000-kilometer Agni-V missile.

Agni-I, India’s first intermediate-range ballistic missile, was test-fired for the first time in May 1989. Inducted into service in 2004, the missile has a range of 700 kilometers to 900 kilometers.