NEW DELHI, India: India celebrated a significant technological advancement this week with the successful test flight of its first domestically developed missile equipped with multiple warheads, announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Modi disclosed that the missile is outfitted with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles, marking a major stride in India’s defense capabilities.
Since the 1990s, India has prioritized the development of medium-and long-range missile systems, particularly amid heightened strategic competition with China.
In 2021, India achieved a milestone by successfully testing Agni-5, a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile boasting a range of 5,000 kilometers (3,125 miles), positioning it to potentially target areas across China. The Agni series comprises long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missiles.
India’s missile capabilities also extend to its neighboring rival, Pakistan, with the ability to strike targets anywhere within its borders. The two nations, having fought three wars since gaining independence from British colonialists in 1947, continue to be engaged in a tense geopolitical dynamic.
