India tests long-range nuclear-capable missile
A Defence Research and Development Organisation spokesman said the Agni-IV missile was launched at 9:00am (0330 GMT) from a test site in the eastern Indian state of Orissa.
"All the parameters have been met and it was a very successful test," DRDO spokesman Ravi Gupta told AFP.
He said the nuclear-capable, two-stage missile which is powered by solid fuel was fired beyond the Bay of Bengal into the Indian Ocean. Agni means fire in Sanskrit.
"Agni-IV has a maximum range of 3,500 kilometres (2,170 miles) but this time the launch parameter was 3,000 kilometres," the official spokesman said.
The Agni series is one of five missiles being developed by the DRDO under an Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme launched in 1983.
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@Adil,
Please be careful with ur comments, don't spread hatred. I understand ur sentiments but get closer with luv and dialogue.
@BruteForce @Hari @Raj @Cautious
Thanks for raising the voice of sanity.
@Ali Tanoli: Sure. Bust out a Chinese or Korean made missile
@ahsan: You surely don't need a 5000 Km missile for India. Who do you have in sight? Let me guess. China when its eyes are opened that you people are fomenting trouble in Xinjiang
@Adil: For Pakistan the smaller firecrackers are enough( Prithvi, Agni 2, brahmos). The bigger firecrackers are for China
I don't understand the excitement. Pakistan can destroy India and China in a few seconds. Soon our missiles will reach USA also. USA knows that, and thats why they will keep giving us aid. Let India do what they want to, Important thing is that we safeguard our nuclear weapons so that USA and the rest of the world keep giving us aid. This is how the world is "Jis ki lathi, os ki bhains". And since we have the lathi, the world powers will lick our feet and give us aid.
The best thing India can do to get past China is to focus on economic growth. Once India figures out how to grow as fast as China, the world's attention will turn completely to India as the rest of the world will prefer a democratic, multi-ethnic India to a totalitarian, Han-dominated China.
@Ravi: Quite right!! How much of that "supersonic missile" capability India wants to use for defense purpose is merely a operational matter not a capability issue.
@RS Johar - I am not denying the security concerns. And honestly speaking I don't have much authority in defence related matters. But what I do understand is that getting too much cynical will not help our people.
There are people/groups in our country who are ever ready to create phobia among the population to fulfil their own agenda. While it's important that we are wary of Foreign threats, we should be equally vigil about these elements within our country. We should not forget that our primary aim is good education, good job , good infrastructure and medical facilities in other words a good peaceful living. We have our work cut out given the abundant poverty and lack of education and infrastructure.
We can see what's happening to Pakistan's socio-economic status as they lost the balance while being too much concerned with so called India threats. Certain lobbies within US are always ready for a war for anything and everything as that means more sales of weapons and ammunitions, consequently we know how US economy has slowed down because of their shift in focus from internal matters to Iraq, Iran, Mars , Jupiter and what not. I think we should learn from their mistakes and try not to repeat the same.
@RS JOHAR. So India's response to China building roads/railroads is to build nukes/missiles - that's not the best logic. You'd be better off spending the money on roads/railroads yourselves rather than nukes/missiles which will never be used.
The real technological leap happened when one of India's "missile" planted its flag on the moon. That is a distance of 385,000 kms. At the earth's circumference of 40,000 kms, it can go round the earth nearly 10 times over.
@Cautious: @Raj: My dear sirs please wake up. Chinese during the past decade have built 58000 kms of all weather concrete roads and rail heads all along the line of actual control. Their rail head is as close as 20 km from LAC whereas our is 320 km away. Chinese can deploy 4 lac soldiers ie 33 Infantry divisions within a month whereas it would take us 3 months. They have added nine airfields close to border against two on our side and three are under preparation. Why these intensive preparations spending billions of dollars if they have no ill-intentions against us since India has no designs against China. Therefore India is preparing to meet this challenge both from China and Pakistan and have a long way to go and earmarked 50 billion dollars for next five years. However, China is fully aware that India is well prepared and 1962 would not be repeated. This missile is part of the preparations and two long range missiles would be tested soon and deployed on Chinese border.
@ahsan: shaheen II 3500 km
"In February 2001 it was reported by Pakistan's Jang newspaper that the range of Shaheen II had been increased from 2,500 km to 3,500 km"- wiki
.--not true, its around 2000km, believe it or not.
ghauri III with 3000km ---err you really mean ghauri 3??
@Adil: who told you its for you? lol you are laughing at your own made decision
@Proud Pakistani: waste of money??? funny comment it should cover every distance, area, and AGNI IV is the very accurate of its category, with new technology, new generation missile, lighter in weight, and many here more features http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/india-launches-new-generation-strategic-missile-agni-4/articleshow/10742607.cms
this is not the final product, wait for the next one, but they are not for you.
@gp65 "Um bro. Distance between Jummu and Shanghai is 4200 Km. It is argued if you fire from Kolkata yes it is within range but you should note in any case of war between China and India your areas would Bengal would be the most targeted. Waste of money i say. Even from neutral point of view."
Bro,what do you expect that india suddenly come with a 10,000 km missile taking an impossible leap.Sorry we don't import missile technology.
This is just a step forward to the goal of that 12,000 km range missile which is called 'Surya' and is highly secretive....currently under development.
@Adil : And you lecture us on Kashmir ? hmm!!
As an Indian, proud on this technological advancement, not proud about the fact that it is a weapon. Humbelness is far more healing and can make neighbourhood more friendlier rather then flexing muscles.
@Hari
We lost war with China in 1962 because of our incompetent leaders and their short-sightedness. China and india both were very poor then,so no one had that advantage over other,the only advantage the chinese had that they were the agressor and india didn't worked well in intelligence gathering thanks to Nehru.
China is the only country in the world which will compete us in the next 20 years and they have been stockpiling their army along indian border so we need to get out of sleep now.
@Adil: Continue saying the same 'Balochistan will always be under the rule of Pakistan'. Balochis are already treating you as an occupying force to the extent that Mr. Musharraf had to use his military to suppress an assault by these rebelling forces with iron hand when apparently Baluchistan Liberation army fired some 450 rockets!!! on an Oil corporation/installation in Baluchistan alleging Pakistani establishment deliberately giving them 4 times less royalty as compared to Punjabis (45 Pakistani rupees for baluchis vs 220 Pakistani rupees for Punjabi)!! What is it if it is not oppression??
To all Indians. Please read the comments from BruteForce. We should always remember that weapons are not something to be proud of. Yes we should be practical enough to invest sufficiently to build our arsenal and yes the missiles and nuclear technology resembles the progress of engineering and science in certain ways but in that process we need to remain conscious that these are for deterrence and for protecting the people in case of a hypothetical war with China, Pakistan, whoever it may be. This is not something which will contribute to the development of the people or reduce the poverty and we should not get too much cynical about perceived threats and get engulfed by the fear to forget our actual priorities.
Warmongers will always think otherwise as some of them have their own interests to fulfil and they will thus justify these weapons. But remember these weapons if utilized will create sufferings mostly to innocent civilians and unselfish soldiers while the inept leaders will enjoy their coffee in their ac office and sign the treaty once the 'game' concludes.
wait for agni -5.
India need to do a lot more in missile technology. Its a long long way to a credible and effective missile shield. Nonetheless these are welcome baby steps.
@Proud Baloch: All I can say is "*hutiye" first do some research before posting a comment. Whole of China can be hit from India with a missile having a range of 6000 Kms.
Sometimes it seems like India hasn't learned anything from all the money that Pakistan has wasted on expensive military toys that will never be used - both countries has shortages of clean drinking water, proper sanitation, education and most of the things that modern countries take for granted yet both continue to pour money into these worthless weapon systems.
@gp65: Um bro. Distance between Jummu and Shanghai is 4200 Km. It is argued if you fire from Kolkata yes it is within range but you should note in any case of war between China and India your areas would Bengal would be the most targeted. Waste of money i say. Even from neutral point of view.
Here is the video. Every body enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UO9GGurO6rA
@Hari: I hope none of those who recommended your comment is Indian because if we have so many overemotional easily impressionable wishful thinking daydreamers with rose tinted glasses, then India is doomed. China is han ethnic imperialist power which has attacked and occupied and is occupying Indian territory and has clearly belligerent and colonial intentions towards India. History as well as present are witness to this.
@Azad Baloch: We have been patient with our brothers in balochistan. Dont try our patience. Balochistan will always be under the rule of Pakistan.
@Azad Baloch: LOL . We don`t want independence from Pakistan
@Adil: "hahahaha we are not afraid. 3500 KMS. LOL. Pakistan is not a big country, even if you fire from farthest point, this missile will fly over to central asia. lol waste of money"
Please note 3500 is the Maximum range. It means it can fire shorter distances.
@Proud Baloch " their major financial centers are at least 9000 km from the nearest city in India "
Not true. Distnce between Delhi and Beijing as wel as Delhi and Shanghai are both less than 4000 km. Plus there is no requirement that these have to be located in a 'major Indian city'. From Jammu both Beijing and Shanghai would be in range.
@Proud Baloch: Dear brother. 9000 km? there is a tool called distance calculator use it to find distance between shanghai and beijing from missile regiments in arunachal and ladakh. please dont use unquoted figures otherwise they will think every Pakistani is illiterate.
@Azad Baloch: Wah Wah!!, Wah Wah !!
and then they have the audacity to critcise arms race in the region. What a waste of resources.
As far as us Pakistanis are concerned only Prithvi and Agni 1 should matter. All the rest are for china. We are a small country and does not have a giant land size as india/china. This missile is not for us.
Any way congrats to the indians. well done
@Proud Baloch: Because USA does not provide aid to them for their country to survive. They do everything on their own. Free Balochistan
waiting for pakistan responce.
the picture shows agni 3
its not big deal to counter we already have many times tested shaheenII with range of 3500 km and ghuri III with 3000 km ........ so no problem guzzzzzz.....!don't forget we r also working on 5000km range TIPU ....but congrats indians on this achievement .....
I think we Indians should stop this anti-China jingoism. If history is witness, China has never been a threat to India. There has been no major conflicts with China (other than minor border skimishes) over the 4,000 year period during which our respective civilizations have evolved into two of the world's greatest civilizations. China follows one of our religion, Buddhism, which preaches pacifism and is in line with China's non-imperialistic mindset. Moreover, our respective nuclear capabilities and equalizing defense and economic strengs have adequate deterrence for even the remotest possibility.
The real threat is NATO, which still maintains a base in "British Indian Ocean Territory" in the the Indian Ocean. Our aim should be to reclaim this territory from them!!!
hahahaha we are not afraid. 3500 KMS. LOL. Pakistan is not a big country, even if you fire from farthest point, this missile will fly over to central asia. lol waste of money
Guys, weapons are not something to be proud of. We should have it but should not gloat over it. Lets appreciate the technological leap India has taken, not now but which is a work in process rather than direct anger against China or Pakistan or anyone else.
it is an utter waste because our enemies are near by
This one is for China with love.
well done,, great achievement., but waiting for the real one, the AGNI V
Great leap forward....salutes to indian scientists...great work.