Current Affairs-India emerged as a major missile power with successful launch of Agni-5

India emerged as a major missile power with successful launch of Agni-5, says DRDO Chief V.K.Saraswat

The Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO, Chief, V K Saraswat has said India has emerged as a major missile power with the successful launch of Agni five ballistic missile. Talking to reporters after the launch of Agni Five in New Delhi, Mr Saraswat said the production of the weapon system will start in a year's time.

He said this launch has given a message to the entire world that India has the capability to design, develop, build and manufacture missiles of this class. He also said that the missile launch was a major milestone in the strategic Defence preparedness of the country. Mr. Saraswat expected the missile to be inducted into the armed forces in the next two years. He said the successful launch of Agni five was just the beginning of a new series of missiles. The DRDO chief said that his organisation was working on a very tight time schedule when it came to production and deployment of the missile.

Giving details of today's launch, Saraswat said that the missile lifted off at 0807 hours today and it is a three-stage missile, the first stage burned out, gave the required velocity and after that it separated. He said that similarly the missile reached it second and third phases and after that it reached the crucial re-entry phase which is the most difficult phase for any ballistic missile of this range.