INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday (11) congratulated scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which works on military research and development, for successfully conducting the maiden flight of Agni-5, an indigenously developed missile, also called Mission Divyastra.
It has been built by the DRDO for over a decade.
The new weapon system is equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology, which means that a single missile can deploy a number of warheads at different locations. The ability is currently possessed by only a handful of nations and by gaining this technological advancement, India has joined a select group of nations, its government said.
"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," Modi said in a post on X.
Government sources further said that Agni-5, an intercontinental ballistic missile with a range between 5,500-5,800 kilometres, will mark a key enhancement in the South Asian nation's strategic defence arsenal.
It is also significant as it aims to boost New Delhi's nuclear deterrence, particularly vis-a-vis China.
Before the advent of Agni-5, India's longest-range missile was Agni-3, with a capacity of ranging up to 3,500 kilometres. The enhancement means India will now be able to cover the extreme eastern and northeastern regions of potential adversaries.
This photograph taken on April 28, 2026 shows a boy getting "thali", a sacred thread tied to his neck symbolising marriage to Hindu warrior god Aravan during the annual Koovagam transgender festival at the Koothandavar temple in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district. For a few fleeting days each year, at the heart of the Koothandavar Temple where ostracised transgender community members from across India come to honour the Hindu deity Aravan, a tradition rooted in millennia-old Hindu texts -- and to enjoy a brief oasis of freedom.Getty Images
This photograph taken on April 29, 2026 shows a member of the transgender community mourning as a priest cuts the "thali", a sacred thread symbolising end of her marriage to Hindu warrior god Aravan during the annual Koovagam transgender festival at the Koothandavar temple in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district. For a few fleeting days each year, at the heart of the Koothandavar Temple where ostracised transgender community members from across India come to honour the Hindu deity Aravan, a tradition rooted in millennia-old Hindu texts -- and to enjoy a brief oasis of freedom. Getty Images