NEW DELHI: India on Thursday successfully conducted a test launch of the intermediate-range Agni-Prime missile from a rail-based mobile launcher system. This marks the first time such a launch has been carried out using a specially designed platform integrated with the national railway network.Defence minister Rajnath Singh confirmed the successful test in a statement on X, calling it a “first-of-its-kind launch” that demonstrates India’s growing strategic deterrence capabilities.“The first-of-its-kind launch carried out today from a specially designed rail-based Mobile Launcher has the capability to move on the Rail network without any preconditions, which allows users to have cross-country mobility and launch within a short reaction time with reduced visibility,” he said.Also read: India tests its most formidable Agni-5 missile“Congratulations to DRDO, Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and the Armed Forces on the successful test of the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile. This successful flight test has put India in the group of select nations having capabilities that have developed a canisterised launch system from a mobile rail network,” the post added.The Agni-Prime, a next-generation ballistic missile is capable of striking targets at ranges of up to 2,000 kilometers.The test follows the successful launch of the missile in August at Chandipur, Odisha.In March 2024, a trial of Agni-5 was conducted under ‘Mission Divyastra’, showcasing MIRV (multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle) capability. A MIRV-equipped missile can carry 3–4 nuclear warheads, each aimed at different targets. Currently, the SFC, formed in 2003, operates only single-warhead missiles. The solid-fuelled, three-stage Agni-5 is canister-launched, allowing rapid deployment.
