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Missile systems
Missiles are classed by how they fly, how far they go and where they are launched from, and India's strategic reach sits with the Agni ballistic missiles. Agni-4 is indigenously developed, has a range of about 4,000 km and can carry a conventional or a nuclear warhead; it was fired from Chandipur on 6 August in a Strategic Forces Command test that validated all its parameters.
UPSC has asked
- Prelims 2023: ballistic missiles compared with cruise missiles
- Prelims 2014: the Agni-IV missile's type, propellant and range
How a missile is classified
- The first division is between ballistic and cruise missiles, by how the missile flies.
- The second is range, running from short-range through medium and intermediate to intercontinental.
- The third is launch mode: surface to surface, surface to air, air to air, air to surface and submarine launched.
Agni-4
- Agni-4 is indigenously developed.
- Its range of about 4,000 km places it in the medium-range class.
- It can carry either a conventional or a nuclear warhead.
What has happened
6 Aug 2026
India tested the Agni-4 from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, on the Odisha coast.
- The launch was carried out by the Strategic Forces Command and validated all operational and technical parameters.