Agni-V in final phase of testing, launch soon: DRDO

JAN 14: Agni-V, the 5,000-km version of the nuclear capable missile, is in the final phase of testing and is soon set for launch, a senior DRDO official said in Chandigarh on Sunday.

"Agni-V is in the final phase of testing. I cannot predict the exact date of its launch, but it will be launched shortly," Chief Controller R and D (Missiles and Strategic Systems) at DRDO, Avinash Chander, said.

He was addressing a press conference at the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory to mark the conclusion of its year-long golden jubilee celebrations,

Agni-V, touted as India's most ambitious strategic missile, will follow last year's test of the country's most advanced surface-to-surface missile Agni-IV.

The three-stage Agni-V and the two-stage Agni-IV are poised to add credible deterrence against countries which have missiles like the 11,200-km Dong Feng-31A, Chander said.

Agni-V will feature Multiple Independently-Targeted Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs) with each missile being capable of carrying 3-10 separate warheads.

To a question, Chander said "we have Rs 20,000 crore worth production orders for Akash missile."

"By 2020, India will be among the leading countries in the missile development," he said.