President congratulates DRDO on successful test-firing of Agni-IV

President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on the successful test-firing of Agni-IV strategic missile.

"I extend my heartiest congratulations to all those associated with the successful test-firing of Agni-IV strategic missile. I hope this achievement will inspire our scientists and all armed forces and defence personnel to make even greater efforts to boost India's indigenous defence capabilities in technologically challenging areas," President Mukherjee said in a message to Dr. Avinash Chander, the Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister and Secretary of Department of Defence Research and Development.

"Kindly convey my greetings to the members of your team of scientists, engineers, technologists and all others associated with this mission. Our nation is grateful for their hard work and proud of their accomplishments," President Mukherjee added.

Agni IV, the 4,000 kms range Nuclear Capable Ballistic Missile, was successfully test- fired from the Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha on Tuesday.

The 20 meter-long indigenously developed missile was launched for the first time by the Army's Strategic Forces Command at 10.20 am on Tuesday.

The missile which carried one tonne war head splashed down near its pre-designated target point in the waters of Indian Ocean with high degree of accuracy as two naval ships located nearby recorded the terminal event.

The trajectory of Agni-IV and its other parameters were tracked and monitored by a network of radar and telemetry stations and electro-optical systems along the East Coast.

Agni-IV was the fourth success in a row as three previous flight trials carried out by Defence Research and Development Organisation's missile technologists achieved their respective mission objectives.

After a few more user trials by SFC personnel, the missile will be inducted into the Army.