India Enhances Strategic Mobility with Agni-Prime Missile Rail-Based Test
India has successfully test-fired its next-generation Agni-Prime ballistic missile from a rail-based mobile launcher for the first time. The missile, with a range of up to 2,000 km, can now be transported across the country's rail network, significantly enhancing strategic mobility and reducing reaction time. This development marks a key advancement in the country's nuclear deterrent capabilities, allowing for greater operational flexibility and survivability of its strategic assets.
Unpacked:
Agni-Prime features significant upgrades including a composite motor casing, maneuverable reentry vehicle (MaRV), improved propellants, advanced navigation and guidance systems, and the ability to carry multiple warhead types, enhancing accuracy and survivability over previous Agni models.
Rail-based mobility allows the missile to be transported discreetly and rapidly across the country, making it harder to track and target, thus enhancing operational flexibility, survivability, and reducing response time in a crisis.
The Agni series comprises Indian ballistic missiles with ranges from 700 km to over 11,000 km. Agni-Prime, with a 1,000–2,000 km range, is positioned as a medium-range missile and is a successor to Agni-I and Agni-II.
Deploying Agni-Prime enhances India’s nuclear deterrence, especially against regional adversaries like Pakistan and China, potentially altering their strategic calculations and prompting shifts in regional security dynamics.