India successfully tests advanced Agni missile with MIRV technology
New Delhi: India on Friday successfully carried out a flight trial of an advanced variant of the Agni missile equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha, the Defence Ministry said.
The MIRV capability allows a single missile to carry and deploy multiple warheads against different targets spread across a wide geographical area.
"India conducted the successful flight-trial of an advanced Agni missile with Multiple Independently Targeted Re-Entry Vehicle (MIRV) system from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha on May 8," the ministry said in a statement.
According to the ministry, the missile was tested with multiple payloads aimed at separate targets located across the Indian Ocean Region.
"The missile was flight-tested with multiple payloads, targeted to different targets spatially distributed over a large geographical area in the Indian Ocean Region," it added.
The successful trial marks another significant step in strengthening India's strategic deterrence and long-range strike capabilities.
India’s nuclear doctrine is based on a credible minimum deterrence strategy backed by a nuclear triad and robust second-strike capability. The development of advanced long-range ballistic missile systems is considered a crucial component of this framework.
The Agni-VI missile, currently under development as the successor to the Agni-V, is expected to become a major addition to India's strategic arsenal. The missile is reportedly in the hardware development phase after completion of its design stage.
The upcoming Agni-VI is expected to be a four-stage intercontinental ballistic missile featuring both MIRV and Manoeuvrable Re-entry Vehicle (MaRV) technologies, enabling greater targeting flexibility and enhanced strike precision. Officials have not disclosed its exact operational range, which remains classified.
The missile is also expected to be larger and more advanced than the Agni-V platform.