Indian Army Successfully Test-Fires Prithvi-II, Agni-I Ballistic Missiles

Indian Army's Strategic Forces Command has successfully test-fired short-range ballistic missiles - Prithvi-II and Agni-I - from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur.

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In yet another success for indigenous weapons, Indian Army's Strategic Forces Command on Thursday successfully test-fired short-range ballistic missiles - Prithvi-II and Agni-I - from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha. The launches validated all operational and technical parameters, said the Ministry of Defence in a statement. India already has advanced versions of these two missiles. The Indian Air Force and Indian Navy have these weapons in their arsenal.

This comes a day after India successfully test fired Akash Prime air defence system in Ladakh. "India has achieved a significant milestone by successfully destroying 2 Aerial High Speed Unmanned targets at high altitude in Ladakh Sector on 16th July by Akash Prime, which is the upgraded variant of Akash Weapon System for the Indian Army," said the Defence Ministry. 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh complimented the Indian Army, Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), and industry on the remarkable achievement. He described the success as a significant boost to India’s Air Defence capabilities, particularly for meeting high-altitude operational requirements.

The tests of missiles and air defence systems comes two months after a military conflict between India and Pakistan. The conflict took place between May 6 and May 10. Since then, India has put a renewed focus on boosting its defence preparedness.

What Is Ballistic Missile?

There are several types of missiles and one of them is ballistic missile. It follows a predetermined, curved (ballistic) path to deliver a warhead or payload to a target.

What Is Prithvi-II?

Prithvi-II is a short-range ballistic missile developed by DRDO. With a range of 250–350 km, it can carry nuclear or conventional warheads weighing up to 1,000 kg. Powered by a liquid-fueled twin-engine system, it achieves speeds up to Mach 2.

What Is Agni-I?

Agni-I is a short to medium-range ballistic missile developed by DRDO. It has a range of 700–1,200 km and can carry a 1,000 kg payload, including nuclear or conventional warheads.