AGNI MISSILE DEPARTMENT | ESTABLISHED IN 1989
From the start, Agni was appreciated as a distinct product and, sensing its strategic importance, separated from India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. Agni-I, with a range of 700 kilometres, was first test-fired in 1989. Agni-II, an intermediate range ballistic missile, was tested in 1999. It has a range of 2,000-2,500 km and can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads. Agni-III, with a range of 3,500-5,000 km, was inducted in 2011, allowing strike capability deep inside neighbouring countries. Agni-IV was developed within a similar range but shorter flight time. It can carry a 1,000 kg payload. Agni-V, with a range of over 5,000 km, was a formidable addition to India’s strategic defence. Agni’s pioneer, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, would always turn poetic when talking…