Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was tested by India today in its final operational configuration from Wheeler Island off Odisha on Monday. The Missile flagged of the way for its future installation into the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) after user-trials.

The missile has three stages made of solid propellant. It was tested and then fired from a mobile launcher from the launch complex-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR).

"The nuclear-capable Agni-V, which can even reach the northernmost parts of China with its strike range of over 5,000-km, was test-fired from its canister on a launcher truck just after 11 am. The test parameters of the missile, which was tested for its full range, are being evaluated. It will take some time to say whether it was a full success or not," said an official.

"The high-speed on board computer and fault tolerant software along with robust and reliable bus guided the missile flawlessly", an official said.

India at present has Agni series, Agni-1 with 700 km range, Agni-2 with 2,000 km range, Agni-3 and Agni-4 with with 2,500 km to more than 3500 km range in its armory.

"After some few more trials, Agni-5 will also be inducted into the services", sources said.

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BY M. DIVYA SRI