Launch was carried out under the Strategic Forces Command (SFC).
- SFC forms part of India’s Nuclear Command Authority and is responsible for the management and administration of the country's tactical and strategic nuclear weapons stockpile.
About Agni-5
- It is a Nuclear-capable Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile (SSBM) and is powered by a three-stage solid fuel engine.
- Range: Over 5,000 km.
- Developer: Developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- Agni is one of the five missile types developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
- Other missiles developed under IGMDP include Prithvi, Trishul, Nag and Akash.
- Agni is one of the five missile types developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
- Significance: Places India among few nations (US, Russia, China, France) with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV)-capable IRBMs.
Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile (SSBM)
- SSBMs are powered initially by a rocket, but then follow an unpowered trajectory that arches upwards before descending to reach its intended target.
- Weapons Type: Can carry both nuclear or conventional warheads.
- Missile range classification:
- Short-range (less than 1,000 km), also known as tactical ballistic missiles.
- Medium-range (1000-3000 km).
- Intermediate-range (3,000 to 5,500 km).
- Long-range (more than 5,500 km), also known as Strategic or Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.