Agni-4 fills key gaps in India's missile arsenal, strengthens China deterrence
India has successfully tested the Agni-4 medium-range ballistic missile, which enhances its nuclear deterrence capabilities against China. The missile bridges a strategic gap in India's arsenal with its 4,000 km range and high-precision accuracy.
Why it matters
The successful test represents a significant advancement in India's military posture and regional strategic balance in Asia.
NEW DELHI: Nuclear-capable Agni-4 medium-range ballistic missile — whose user trial was successfully conducted by Strategic Force Command from Chandipur off Odisha coast last Thursday — is important for India as it bridges a crucial gap between mid-range and intercontinental missile variants, securing credible deterrence under the country’s no-first-use nuclear doctrine.With a range of 4,000 km, Agni-4 sits perfectly between the 2,000-km Agni-II/Agni-Prime and 5,000+ km Agni-V, and covers regional strategic targets easily. Developed by DRDO, Agni-4 is capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional payloads and acts as a major pillar of India’s nuclear triad.The medium-range missile provides India with a strategic deterrence as it is capable of reaching deep into major strategic centres across nearly all of mainland China and also covers parts of Southeast Asia, West Asia and Central Asia.On its successful test, defence minister Rajnath Singh said, “I congratulate SFC and DRDO for this textbook mission…
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in