The people of India have reason to be proud of the country’s better defence capability in the year 2002. A variant of Agni surface-to-suface missile was flight-tested successfully on January 25, this year at 0845 hrs from the Island Test Range off Orissa coast. The objectives were fully met as confirmed by data from the network of ground radars, telemetry stations and visual observations from the naval ships positioned near the intended impact point.

The short-range variant of the Agni ballistic missile, the nuclear capable Agni-I variant with a range of around 800-900 km seems to have been specifically designed for our defence needs. Significantly, this solid-propellant Agni-1 variant can be fired from road-mobile launchers. The launch is significant for operational aspects of country’s nuclear deterrence policy. The designing and manufacturing of a new road-mobile launcher for this missile is noteworthy because it confers operational advantages in movement, deployment and launching.

The successful launch of the revised version of Agni-1 missile from the interim test range, Balasore has also very special significance for strengthening India’s defence capabilities. The road-mobile, solid propellant Agni-1 fills the need for a nuclear missile which could be put in place to the benefit of India’s self-defence efforts. Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee while congratulating the defence scientists, asserted that the development of this Agni missile system was an "ongoing" programme and part of "several steps" taken to bolster the country’s security. The launch was witnessed by Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy, Dr VK Aatre, Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and other senior officers from the Armed Forces and DRDO. The Defence Minister also congratulated the scientists, staff of DRDO and other partners. He expressed his happiness that the mission was flawless and enhanced India’s capability in deployment of such surface-to-surface missle systems. With only Prithvi-II, a relatively primitive missle with a range of 150-250 km depending on the payload, actually being inducted into the Army so far, defence experts say India solely needed such a missile to bridge the gap in range between the Prithvi and the Agni II missles.

The fact that it took just 15 months to test the missile would indicate that proven technologies and sub-systems from the Agni-II project would have been optimally used to reduce development efforts and speed up hardware realisation indigenously. Information released by the DRDO indicates that the first stage and re-entry vehicle of the Agni-II has been used with some modifications in the Agni-I.

Some scientists opine that a new closed loop guidance scheme for the atmospheric phase of the missile’s trajectory would be needed. And also, some rework of the airframe and sub-assemblies would be necessary because of higher boost phase acceleration expected for Agni-I in comparison to Agni-II. The third member of the family, Agni-III, remains the future agenda. It will be rail-mobile and may have a still higher range. The design and manufacture of a new road-mobile launcher for this missile, again in 15 months, is noteworthy because it confers operational advantages.