India test-fires multiple warhead variants of Agni V missile

The Agni V – pictured above taking part in India’s Republic Day parade in 2013 – is a nuclear-capable missile that can carry either a single warhead or multiple warheads over ranges up to 5,500 km. (Indian Ministry of Defence)

India’s state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) test-fired the Agni V intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) equipped with multiple independently targeted re-entry vehicle (MIRV) technology for the first time on 11 March.

According to a press release by the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 11 March, the test, called ‘Mission Divyastra’, was carried out from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the northeastern coast of Odisha.

“Various telemetry and radar stations tracked and monitored multiple re-entry vehicles. The mission accomplished the designed parameters,” the MoD added.

A senior official at the DRDO told
Janes
on 12 March that the organisation cannot reveal technical details about the missile because it is envisaged to engage in strategic roles within the Indian Armed Forces.