Nuclear capable Agni-5 missile test-fired successfully

India on Monday successfully test-fired nuclear capable long-range surface-to-surface missile Agni-5, marking yet another step towards strengthening deterrence capability.

The indigenously-built inter-continental ballistic missile, with a range of over 5000 kms, was launched from a canister on a road mobile launcher at Dr Abdul Kalam Island, off the Odisha coast, a Defence spokesman said.

The missile has a payload capacity of 1,500 kg of high-explosive warhead and once inducted in the military, India will join an exclusive club of countries like the US, Russia, China, France and Britain which have intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities

The long-range strike capability will enable India to balance out China's military muscle.

"The launch operations were carried out and monitored by the Strategic Forces Command in the presence of scientists from Defence and Research Development Organisation (DRDO) and other associated officials, the spokesman said in a statement.

"All the mission objectives were successfully achieved," the statement said.

The spokesman said Monday's launch came after a series of successful launches of the missile.

"It further strengthens the country's deterrence capability which has been developed indigenously by assiduous efforts of scientists, " the spokesman added.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated the DRDO, armed forces and the defence industry on the successful launch.