Very important milestone: Prez Murmu on first flight test of Agni-5

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday congratulated DRDO scientists for the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile under Mission Divyastra, calling it a "very important milestone" in India's march towards greater geo-strategic role and capabilities.

In her message on 'X', the supreme commander of the armed forces said, "The state-of-the-art technology developed indigenously is a firm step in the direction of India becoming Atmanirbhar."

"The flight test of Agni V under Mission Divyastra marks a very important milestone in India's march towards greater geo-strategic role and capabilities...I convey my heartiest congratulations to the Team DRDO for this major achievement. I am sure they will keep moving apace in their quest for excellence and self-reliance," she said.

The weapon system is equipped with indigenous avionics systems and high-accuracy sensor packages ensuring that the re-entry vehicles reach the target points within the desired accuracy.

Based on Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology, the missile system has several nuclear warheads capable of hitting multiple targets in one go or hitting one location with multiple warheads.

The capability is an enunciator of India's growing technological prowess.

The Agni-5, with a range of 5,000 km, is developed considering the long-term security needs of the country. The missile can bring almost the entire Asia including the northernmost part of China as well as some regions in Europe under its striking range.

The Agni 1 to 4 missiles have ranges from 700 km to 3,500 km and have already been deployed.

India has been developing capabilities to intercept hostile ballistic missiles both inside and outside the earth's atmospheric limits.