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India tests nuclear-capable Agni missile

Thursday, 09 January 2003, 00:00 Hrs

BHUBANESHWAR: India Thursday successfully test fired a shorter-range version of the nuclear-capable Agni missile from a site in the eastern state of Orissa, officials said.

"The missile was successfully test fired from the range," said a defence ministry spokesman in New Delhi. "The test was witnessed by Defence Minister George Fernandes."

This was the second test of the Agni-I, which has a range of 700-800 km. The missile, developed specifically as a deterrent against Pakistan, was last tested on January 25 last year.

India is expected to test several other missiles over the next few days, defence ministry sources said.

The Agni-I missile was fired across the Bay of Bengal at about 8.47 a.m. from a launch site on Wheeler's Island, part of the missile test range at Chandipur-on-sea.

Besides Fernandes, V.K. Aatre, chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and other senior officials witnessed the missile test.

Agni-I and Agni-II, which has a range of up to 2,500 km, are key elements of India's plans to create a credible minimum nuclear deterrent against China and Pakistan.

The Indian Army is raising an Agni Missile Group to field Agni-II. Agni-I is expected to enter service with the armed forces later this year.

Defence sources said the Agni missiles are likely to be placed under the control of the Strategic Forces Command that will "manage and administer" the country's nuclear arsenal.

India last week announced the creation of a Nuclear Command Authority that gives the political leadership headed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee the final say in authorising the use of nuclear weapons.

The government also approved an eight-point nuclear doctrine that envisaged the building and maintenance of a credible minimum deterrent and reiterated New Delhi's established posture of "no first use" of nuclear weapons.

Western countries have, however, criticised the Indian missile test.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham said his country "deeply regrets that India is once again planning to test nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, particularly at a time when tensions with Pakistan remain high".
Source: IANS

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