'Nuclear-capable Agni-V to be tested soon'

Chandigarh: India's ambitious 5,000-km range Agni-V nuclear-capable missile will be launched soon, a senior scientist said on Sunday.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief controller R&D (Missiles and Strategic Systems) Avinash Chander said that the strategic missile was in the final phase of testing and could be launched soon.

"I cannot predict an exact date of its launch now. But it will be launched shortly," Chander, who was here for the concluding ceremony of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), told the media here.

He said there was no immediate need for the country to go in for longer range inter-continental ballistic missiles.

"Definitely, the capability (for ICBMs) exists. We feel that the country does not need it now," Chander said.

He said that the country's missile programme was on the right path to provide an "effective deterrence" against any adversary.

Though the Agni and other missiles developed by DRDO scientists are capable of striking areas inside Pakistan and China, Agni-V and the earlier Agni-IV series will give India a deep penetrative striking capability.

Since the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme was launched over three decades ago, DRDO has delivered the Agni, Prithvi, Akash, Trishul, Nag, Prahaar and other series of weapons.

"By 2020, India will be among the leading countries in missile development," Chander said.