India on Monday (11 March 2024) successfully test-fired the indigenously developed Agni-5 intercontinental ballitic missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. The test was carried out by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and soon after it Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi congratulated the scientists for “Mission Divyastra”, the name given to the first flight test of MIRV technology.
“Proud of our DRDO scientists for Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology,” the Prime Minister posted on X.
Proud of our DRDO scientists for Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 11, 2024
Government sources said that the “project director of is Mission Divyastra a woman scientist and the entire programme has significant women contribution”.
“With the test of Mission Divyastra, India has joined the select group of nations who have MIRV capability. This system is equipped with indigenous Avionics systems and high accuracy sensor packages, which ensured that the re-entry vehicles reached the target points within the desired accuracy. The capability is an enunciator of India’s growing technological prowess.” sources added.
Agni-5 is India’s latest land based nuclear capable intercontinental ballistic missile and with MIVR capabilty one missile can be used hit multiple targets.
With a range of more than 5,00 km, Agni-5 has been developed primarily to counter the nuclear threat from China. India’s northen neighbour has several hundred ICBMs in its arsenal with most of them having a range of over 10,000 kms.