India test-fires long-range missile

New Delhi: India has successfully test-fired a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the country’s Defense Ministry said yesterday, reports CNN. The nuclear-capable Agni-V is believe to be India’s most advanced ICBM. It was fired Thursday morning India time from Abdul Kalam island off the coast of the eastern state of Odisha, the ministry said in a tweet. It called the test a “major boost” to the country’s defense capabilities.

India is believed to have around 120 to 130 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, according to the Federation of American Scientists, compared to several thousand for the US.

Vipin Narang, an associate professor of political science at MIT who studies nuclear proliferation, said Thursday’s test did not demonstrate any “new capability, (this) was simply a developmental test before India inducts it into operational range.”

Narang said it’s possible India’s armed forces were testing the canister the missile is launched out of, as well as its ejection, flight performance and accuracy—a “regular technical test in that regard.”

India test-fires long-range missile

New Delhi: India has successfully test-fired a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the countrys Defense Ministry said yesterday, reports CNN. The nuclear-capable Agni-V is believe to be Indias most advanced ICBM. It was fired Thursday morning India time from Abdul Kalam island off the coast of the eastern state of Odisha, the ministry said in a tweet. It called the test a major boost to the countrys defense capabilities. India is believed to have around 120 to 130 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, according to the Federation of American Scientists, compared to several thousand for the US. Vipin Narang, an associate professor of political science at MIT who studies nuclear proliferation, said Thursdays test did not demonstrate any new capability, (this) was simply a developmental test before India inducts it into operational range. Narang said its possible Indias armed forces were testing the canister the missile is launched out of, as well as its ejection, flight performance and accuracya regular technical test in that regard.