World

India's test of nuclear-capable missile fails: Sources

The surface-to-surface "Agni-II plus" dropped into the sea shortly into its planned flight, sources say.

Afp December 10, 2010

BHUBANESWAR: India carried out an unsuccessful maiden test on Friday of an upgraded version of its nuclear-capable, medium-range Agni-II ballistic missile, defence sources said.

The surface-to-surface "Agni-II plus" was fired from a mobile rail launcher on Wheeler Island off the coast of the western state of Orissa, but dropped into the sea shortly into its planned flight, the sources said.

It was not immediately clear why the test had failed. The missile has two stages, both fuelled by solid propellants. Capable of carrying a one-tonne conventional or nuclear warhead, Agni-II is one of a series of missiles being developed as a deterrent strategy against India's nuclear-armed neighbours China and Pakistan.

It has a normal range of 2,000-2,500 kilometers (1,250-1,500 miles) and India has already successfully tested an Agni-III variant with a reach of up to 3,000-3,500 kilometers. The upgraded "Agni-II plus" has an improved navigation system and is aimed at bridging the gap between the two with a range of around 2,500-3,000 kilometers.

COMMENTS (15)

afzal | 13 years ago | Reply we should learn from germany and france that after killing millions of innocent people in two world wars now they are NOW LIVING IN PEACE . pl listen both poor people of india and pakistan . pl tell your leaders to have pity on their hungry,naked, and homless people . IT IS A FACT THAT PAKISTAN CANNOT CAPTURE DEHLI AND INDIA CANNOT FINISH PAKISTAN .PL SPEND BILLIONS OF RUPEES ON YOUR HUNGRY AND SICK PEOPLE THAN ON THESE MISSILE TESTS . FACTS ARE PAKISTAN SEND AGENTS INTO KASHMIR AND THAN INDIA DID THE SAME IN BENGAL NOW AGAIN PAKISTAN IS SENDING PEOPLE IN KASHMIR AND INDIA IS DESTABILIZING PAKISTAN THROUH THEIR EMBASSIES IN AFGHANISTAN . PL INDIAN AND PAKISTAN HAVE A HEART AND STOP THIS TIT FOR TAT STUPID GAMES . .

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply @Adnan, This Conspiracy Theory is a new one!

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Adnan | 13 years ago | Reply @ Anoop errr I think you'll find the genesis of the Indian missile programme rests on the stolen drawings of the US Scout missile by none other than one Dr Kalam, former president of India! What actually irks India is that Pakistan's missile programmes is far superior, so they scratch around for excuses to cover up for the ineptitiude of their scientists- and thye billions of Dollars that have gone down the drain in producing glorifed fire-works that fail to ignite and dont actually work.

Indian | 13 years ago | Reply If this was a test conducted by pakistan, it will proclaim success instead telling the actual fact. Being an indian, I am proud that my government tells me the truth abou their activities. What about your government and their institutions? how do they justify killing innocent people all round the world in the name of religion? I will give one good advise. Please think what you could do to save your country first before you hypocrites comment on my country

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply Atleast India's program is indigenous. We haven't bartered our Nukes for Missiles with North Korea.

Ashutosh | 13 years ago | Reply @ Khalid, Our missiles might kill you & your family. & your missiles might kill me and my family. But this will happen only if their is a war. How about the terror camps, these strategic assets might kill me and my family even if there is no war.

Tony Singh | 13 years ago | Reply @Mir Agha We find Pakistanis responsible for mess in Kashmir. @Rizwan T Khan Why should one be afraid of failures. It does not bring any "disgrace" to anybody or the country. The test has failed. Now the concerned ppl will take corrective action. What's big deal in it. It is like trying to say the other countries taste success in the first attempt itself.

Rizwan T Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Just becoming a norm for Indian scientist to fail in the attempt. I suggest they should be more trained before bringing disgrace to the country.

Mir Agha | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan and Kashmir doesn't like India because of its killing of over 90,000+ civilians.

Khalid Saleem | 13 years ago | Reply What are failures and successes of these sort of tests ? Only God knows.The inside story will not be public, so dont worry on failures and become happy of successes. This all is for killing you and me and our families.

Venkat | 13 years ago | Reply I do not know why there is so much hate going on. Indians do not like Pakistan because of terrorism, Pakistanis do not like India because of Kashmir. It is easy to find fault with other. Remember nobody is perfect. There will be mistakes on both the sides by individuals. I feel that we should drop the hate and live like USA and Canada.

Kittu | 13 years ago | Reply @Amer...howcan India ignore China..?

maitre | 13 years ago | Reply Are Barrack Obama, David Cameroun and Nicolas sarkozy blind? doesn't this test categorize as nuclear proliferation destabilising the region to the world players and their prejudiced diplomacy? Shame on all of them!

COAS | 13 years ago | Reply "The surface-to-surface “Agni-II plus” was fired from a mobile rail launcher" Its Mobile Launching Vehicle (MLV) not mobile rail launcher

Amer | 13 years ago | Reply The Indians who put comments on ET saying that Pak has nothing to worry about India etc etc. Tell me now, why India needs such missles? Why are they trying to do tests now? Your rhetoric about India not having any bad intentions against it's neighbours are just rubbish. Pakistan has every right to be ready to protect it's territory and have a deterrent strategy of it's own. Our army should have the capability to defend our soils and we are proud of them. Pakistan Zindabad!

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