India Successfully Tests Agni-III Nuclear-Capable Missile

India Successfully Tests Agni-III Nuclear-Capable Missile

Why in News? 

India has successfully test-fired the Agni-III nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha, validating all operational and technical parameters of the weapon.

• The test was conducted by the Strategic Forces Command as a routine training exercise.
• The test met all mission objectives, accurately hitting its target in the Bay of Bengal and reinforcing India’s credible minimum deterrence. 

What is the Agni-III Missile?

• • About: The Agni-III is an Indian intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) designed to deliver nuclear and conventional warheads over long distances. It forms a key part of India’s strategic missile arsenal, developed under IGMDP – Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.
  • Developed by: The missile was designed and developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), primarily by the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), and is manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). 
  • Purpose: The main purpose of Agni-III is to strengthen India’s nuclear deterrence capability by providing a land-based strategic strike option capable of reaching deep targets across South and East Asia. 
  • Background: Development began in the late 1990s. Agni-III is a part of Agni Series and was first tested on 9 July 2006, with subsequent successful tests in 2007 and 2008, and later inducted into service around 2011 after proving reliability and accuracy.
  • Deployment: It is deployed and operated by the Strategic Forces Command of the Indian Armed Forces.

• Features:

• Range & Payload: It has a strike range of 3,000–3,500 km, enabling it to cover significant strategic targets, and can carry a warhead of up to 1.5 tonnes, including nuclear or conventional payloads.
• Propulsion: Two-stage, solid-propellant system offers enhanced reliability, quicker launch preparation, and better storage stability.
• Guidance & Accuracy: Equipped with advanced inertial navigation systems (INS), hybrid guidance, and onboard computers for precise targeting; it achieves high accuracy with an estimated 40 m Circular Error Probable (CEP).
• Mobility: Can be launched from road-mobile or rail-mobile launchers, boosting survivability and operational flexibility.
• Structural Design: Measures around 17 metres long, with a diameter of 2 metres and a launch weight of 50 tonnes; its advanced heat shield and hardened electronics help withstand extreme conditions during flight.

Agni Missile Series

• Agni-I was India’s first strategic ballistic missile with a range of ~700–1,200 km, designed to provide short-range nuclear strike capability and enhance battlefield deterrence. 
• Agni-II extended this to a medium-range of ~2,000–3,000 km, featuring a two-stage solid-fuel system and modern navigation, enabling deeper strategic reach.
• Agni-III further expanded India’s reach into an intermediate-range (~3,000–3,500 km) class with improved accuracy and mobility, covering major strategic targets in the region.
• Agni-IV refined guidance and avionics with a range up to ~4,000 km, bridging the capability gap between Agni-III and longer-range systems. 
• Agni-V marked India’s entry into the intercontinental range (~5,000–5,500 km+) with a three-stage, canisterised solid-fuel design, significantly enhancing strategic deterrence and strike flexibility. 
• The latest in the series, Agni-Prime, is a new-generation ballistic missile with an estimated range of ~1,000–2,000 km, featuring advanced propulsion, guidance systems, and canister launch capability for rapid deployment by road and rail.

India’s Nuclear-Capable Missiles

• Prithvi Ballistic Missile Series: The Prithvi series are short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missiles (SRBMs) developed under the DRDO/IGMDP. Variants like Prithvi-I, Prithvi-II and Prithvi-III can carry nuclear warheads, with ranges from ~150 km to ~600 km, providing India with battlefield and tactical nuclear delivery options for regional deterrence against proximate adversaries.
• Sagarika (K-15) SLBM: The Sagarika (also designated K-15/B-05) is a submarine-launched ballistic missile forming the sea leg of India’s nuclear triad. With a range of ~750 km, it is designed to deliver nuclear payloads from Arihant-class SSBNs, enabling retaliatory strikes at sea and enhancing second-strike credibility.
• K-4 SLBM: K-4 is an intermediate-range SLBM developed by DRDO with an approximate range of 3,500 km. It is nuclear-capable and deployed on Arihant-class submarines, significantly expanding India’s sea-based deterrence reach and strengthening assured retaliation from underwater platforms.
• Shaurya Missile: Shaurya is a surface-to-surface hypersonic ballistic missile with an estimated range up to ~1,900 km. It is nuclear capable, solid-fueled, canisterised, and highly accurate, complementing India’s strategic forces with a mobile and survivable delivery system.
• Dhanush Tactical Missile: Dhanush is a ship-launched ballistic missile derived from Prithvi technology and capable of carrying nuclear warheads. With a range of ~350 km, it provides India with tactical nuclear options from naval platforms for regional deterrence.
• Future SLBMs (K-5, K-6): K-5 and K-6 are next-generation submarine-launched ballistic missiles under development, with expected ranges extending to 5,000+ km (K-5) and ~8,000–10,000 km (K-6). These will further enhance India’s sea-based nuclear reach and second-strike capability once operational.

Significance of Such Nuclear-capable Missiles

• Strengthening Nuclear Deterrence Posture: Nuclear-capable ballistic missiles serve as a key pillar of India’s nuclear deterrence strategy, ensuring that any potential adversary is dissuaded from initiating aggression due to the credible threat of severe retaliation. These missiles reinforce the No First Use (NFU) and Credible Minimum Deterrence (CMD) principles articulated in India’s Nuclear Doctrine.
• Ensuring Strategic Stability: Possession of reliable long-range nuclear delivery systems helps maintain strategic stability in the region by balancing capabilities with nuclear-armed neighbours such as China and Pakistan. Advanced missiles reduce incentives for pre-emptive strikes.
• Facilitating Second-Strike Capability: Nuclear-capable missiles, especially when integrated with sea-based platforms like K-series SLBMs, underpin India’s second-strike capability, assuring retaliation even after a first strike, which is essential for credible deterrence. 
• Technological Edge and Autonomy: Developing such missiles demonstrates technological prowess and defence self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat), reducing dependency on foreign suppliers and showcasing advanced indigenous capabilities.
• Enhancing Precision and Multiple Targeting: Modern nuclear-capable missiles, such as those with MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle) technology, increase effectiveness by allowing multiple autonomous warheads on a single missile, improving deterrent impact and complicating enemy defence planning.
• National Security and Regional Power Balance: Nuclear missiles serve as a force multiplier for national security, deterring both conventional and nuclear escalation, contributing to regional power equilibrium, and reducing the likelihood of large-scale conflicts by raising the cost of war.