• May 22, 1989: Agni-I (01) Integrated Test Range (ITR) Chandipur-on-Sea

• May 29, 1992: Agni-I (02) ITR at Chandipur-on-Sea (failed)

• February 19, 1994: Agni-I (03) ITR at Chandipur-on-Sea

• April 11, 1999: Agni-II(01) ITR at Wheeler's Island

• January 17, 2001: Agni-II(02) ITR at Chandipur-on-Sea

• January 25, 2002: Agni-I ITR at Chandipur-on-Sea

• January 9, 2003: Agni-I ITR at Wheeler's Island

• July 4, 2003: Agni-I ITR at Wheeler's Island

• August 29, 2004: Agni-II (03) ITR at Wheeler's Island

• July 9, 2006: Agni-III (01) ITR at Wheeler's Island (failed)

• April 12, 2007: Agni-III (02) ITR at Wheeler's Island

India Successfully Tests Agni-III Missile

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Balasore: Marking a new milestone in missile technology, India successfully tested its home-grown nuclear capable Agni III ballistic missile, with a range of over 3,000 km, from a defence base in Orissa.

The missile was test-fired at 10.52 a.m. from launching complex No. 4 of the Inner Wheeler Island, a new launch site of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at the Chandipur defence base, 230 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar.

The first test of the missile from the same defence base on July 9, 2006 had failed –– the second stage of the rocket had failed to separate from the missile quickly and fallen short of its target.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which developed the missile, had attributed this failure to a "material-related fault", besides problems with the protective heat shield, design and propulsion.

However, the initial feedback from the Thursday test indicated that it was successful, a senior defence official said.

Agni-III, one of the Agni series missiles, is capable of carrying warheads weighing up to 1.5 tonnes, is 16 metres tall and weighs 48 tonnes. With an improved guidance system, this latest variant of the Agni series of missiles, Agni-III had a diameter of 1.8 metres and length of 16 metres.

While Agni-III is capable of reaching strategic targets deep inside China like Beijing and Shanghai, it, however, falls short of being an ICBM (inter-continental ballistic missile) that has ranges of over 5,000 km, a scientist said. Agni-III will become the missile with the longest reach in South Asia and more powerful than any missile in Pakistan's arsenal. However, China has missiles with a longer reach than Agni-III.

Media Analysis

The test launch of the long-range Agni III missile comes at a time when India's neighbours China and Pakistan are vigorously testing their missiles. It also comes a year after the failure of its maiden test on July 9, 2006 and two weeks or so from the test of the Dhanush, the naval variant of the Prithvi.

Since the beginning of the year, Pakistan has carried out five tests, two of a long-range cruise missile and three of ballistic missiles. As for China, its "missile testing is surpassing anything since the Soviet Union's missile buildup of the 1960s", according to analyst John Pike in the latest issue of the specialist magazine Aviation Week & Space Technology.

In contrast, the pace of India's missile development has been "leisurely", says a former scientist familiar with the country's missile programme, on condition of anonymity. The Agni-III tested on Thursday was reportedly ready for testing as far back as 2003 but was not given the necessary political permission. The then chief of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) had told the media on June 4, 2004: "We are more than three months away (from testing it). But I am planning to do it this year."

Beginning 1989, when the first "technology demonstrator" version of the Agni was launched, the DRDO did a total of three tests in five years, the last being in February 1994. Then there was a gap during which the programme was allegedly put on hold under pressure from the United States. The next test, a newer version of the missile, the Agni-II, which was a more robust military vehicle with solid-propellent stages, was in April l999.

Shortly after its second test, in January 2001, the government of the day announced that the missile was now ready to be inducted into the country's arsenal. According to the former scientist, the reason for the tardiness is that the political masters are quite comfortable with the current nuclear posture of the country "The purpose of these missiles is to carry nuclear weapons," he says. "They (the government) do not see any huge threat right now to go on to a more aggressive posture that could come with a robust missile capability". According to him, the capability will come, "but in the fullness of time and fitness of things". He says that on matters nuclear, the government has always exercised great caution and has been genuinely committed to a minimalist posture

India Successfully Tests Missile Able To Hit China

Agence France-Presse | Apr 13, 2007

India announced Thursday a successful test-firing of a nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile than can reach the Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai.

The Agni-III missile was launched from Wheeler Island, 180 kilometres (110 miles) northeast of Bhubaneswar, capital of the eastern state of Orissa.

"The 16-metre-long (52-feet) missile weighing 48 tonnes lifted off successfully from its rail mobile launcher system leaving a trail of orange and yellow smoke," India's Defence Ministry said in a statement from New Delhi.

"The entire flight path of approximately 15 minutes duration validated all mission objectives," the statement said, adding the test "confirmed India's strategic capability for minimum credible deterrence."

The ministry gave the range of the missile tested Thursday as more than 3,000 kilometres (1,860 miles) and said it was capable of carrying a nuclear or conventional payload of 1.5 tonnes.

China reacted swiftly saying it hoped that India, "as a country with an important influence in this region, can work to maintain and promote peace and stability in the region.

"We hope they can make a positive contribution in this regard and play a positive role," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in Beijing.

It was the second test of Agni-III, a two-stage solid fuelled missile which has a diameter of 1.8 metres (six feet) and can carry nuclear or conventional warheads.

The first test ended in failure last July when it developed problems after a successful take-off and crashed into the sea without hitting a designated target.

"With this success, the design team is happy that the problems faced in the previous attempt on July 9 last year have been fully understood and solved," the ministry said.

Security analysts also cheered the successful test.

Bharat Karnad, research professor at the Centre for Policy Research, said the Agni-III "gives India the strategic reach that ... certainly the military wants."

The next step would be the development of an inter-continental ballistic missile, he said.

Indian security analyst C. Uday Bhaskar said it would be "misleading to see the Agni test in a unifocal manner as anti-China."

"In the post-Cold War period, Weapons of Mass Destruction capability is not predicated on a single-point threat. The Agni test should be seen in the context of India trying to enhance its country's overall strategic profile," he said.

"Unlike in the Cold War, when adversaries were well identified, the current orientation is towards prudent insurance in a strategic sense."

Agni-III was originally scheduled for testing in 2003 but it was believed to have been deferred amid moves by arch-rivals India and Pakistan to bury decades of mutual hostility.

An Indian foreign ministry source in New Delhi said India, which signed an agreement with Pakistan on the pre-notification of ballistic missile tests in October 2005, had informed Islamabad of the latest Agni-III test.

India, which conducted nuclear weapons tests in 1998, has developed a series of nuclear and conventional missile systems as part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)'s Integrated Missile Development Programme which was launched in 1983.

The Agni is one of five missiles developed by the DRDO.

New Delhi has already begun the production of two variants of the Agni -- a 700-kilometre (434-mile) Agni-I and the 2,500-kilometre (1,550-mile) range Agni-II after flight-testing both the ballistic missiles numerous times since 1993.

The other four missiles are the Prithvi, the surface-to-air Trishul (Trident), multi-purpose Akash  (Sky), and the anti-tank Nag (Cobra).

Agni Range

Agni Characteristics

The Agni-III is a surface-to-surface, two stage missile. Both stages are powered by solid propellant motors.

Strike force: It has a range of over 3,000 kilometers and is capable of striking targets deep inside China, like Beijing and Shanghai. It is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads weighing up to 1.5 tonnes. More powerful than any missile in Pakistan's arsenal.

Other features: it can be deployed using rail or road mobile launch vehicles, is said to have a high degree of accuracy and is compact and small for easy mobility.

The Agni Series

Agni 1: The short-range (700-800 km) missile was first tested in 1989

Agni II: The intermediate-range (1,500-2,000 km) missile was first test-fired on April 11, 1999 and last on August 29, 2004

Maiden failure The Agni-III was first test-fired on July 9, 2006 but plunged into the sea after a perfect blast-off. The failure was attributed to the missile's second stage, which failed to ignite due to a "design and material fault" and hence, did not separate. The DRDO had initially planned a second launch in February but had to put it off due to the congregation of Olive Ridleys for nesting on Gahirmatha beach.

Neighbourhood watch China's intercontinental ballistic missile, Dong Feng-5 (DF-5), has a range of over 13,000 km. It is also preparing to induct the DF-31, a long-range ballistic missile estimated to have a range of 8,000 km.The DF-31A, an upgraded version, is expected to have a range of about 12,000 km.

Pakistan's Ghauri-Ill, with a range of 2,500 km, can strike targets deep inside India. Ghauri-II, an Agni-ll equivalent, has a range of about 2,000 km. The Hatf-VI or Shahoon-II has a 2,000-km range. Length: 16 metres Diameter: 1.8 metres Weight: 48tonnes Range: 3,000+km Payload: 1.5 tonnes Warheads: Conventional and nuclear

Agni-III Range Can Extend To 5,000 Km: Scientists

From correspondents in Delhi

Buoyed by the successful test firing of a nuclear capable ballistic missile they designed and developed, Indian scientists confidently declared Friday it could be inducted into service in two to three years, even as they said its range could be extended to 5,000 km.

Agni-III, a 3,000-km range intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) that was sent aloft from a defence base in Orissa Thursday, 'would be the stepping stone to build capability for a longer range of 5,000 km,' M. Natarajan, head of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which developed the system, told reporters here Friday.

Agni-III is a two-stage missile 'and we could squeeze in a third stage to enhance its capability. I don't have a solution now but we will work toward building capability on the basis of our success with the first and second stage motors,' said Natarajan, who is also the scientific advisor to the defence minister.

'We would need to conduct more tests for another two to three years to build confidence levels before we declare it safe for handing over to the armed forces,' he added.

Thursday's test was all the more significant as the missile was built with 85 percent Indian know-how.

'We have developed the capacity for the balance 15 percent and will be progressively introducing this,' Natarajan added.

The building of the missile has also proved how effective a laboratory-industry-academia collaboration can be.

'There were 258 private-public industries, 28 laboratories (of DRDO) and countless academic institutions that worked on the development of Agni-III,' he said.

The missile was tested for only the second time Thursday. It had lifted off smoothly on July 9, 2006 but had then plunged into the Bay of Bengal well short of its intended target.

'We might have had our share of difficulties but this is an integral part of the development process. You cannot have success without setbacks, so it is better not to hype successes or failures,' Natarajan said.

Speaking about the previous launch, Angi-III mission director Avinash Chander said his team had extensively studied the telemetry data obtained to rectify the error.

'We went through the analysis and were very clear that the primary problem was that at supersonic speeds at a height of 35 to 40 km, there was re-circulation of hot gas and the external cold stream mix. A lot of this got sucked into a cavity between the flux nozzle and the heat shield,' Chander said.

'At that time, the temperature shot up to 700-800 (degrees Celsius) and more and it burnt some cables that controlled the nozzle actuation device.

'So we knew that now we have to bring in thermal barriers. But was not easy because this barrier has to be flexible to allow the nozzle to flex. So it could not be solid,' he said.

'We spent quite a lot of time and now we have developed new silica based materials that are actually stitched like a skirt or umbrella. It moves along with the nozzle and at the same time serves to insulate. Also, some parts were moved out to other locations so they were away from the heat,' Chander said.

It is this ability to quickly analyse a problem and find a solution that has given DRDO scientists immense confidence, Natarajan said.

'All this happened not due to luck, but because of the years of toil and hard work put in by our scientists. I am sure the next generation of younger scientists will carry this nation forward by drawing strength from this technology.

'Strength is necessary for democracy and peace,' he added.

Agni-III builds on its predecessors, Agni-I that is a single stage 700-km missile, and Agni-II that is a two-stage 2,000-km system. These two have already been inducted into the armed forces.

AGNI III Reactions

India, Pakistan Should Not Destabilise The Region: US