India successfully test-fires nuclear capable Agni-IV

India on Wednesday successfully test-fired nuclear capable Agni-IV for its full range of 4,000 km from Wheeler Island, off the coast of Orissa.

The two stage 20-metre long surface-to-surface solid-fuelled propelled missile flew for 20 minutes after its launch from Launch Complex 4 of Wheeler Island at 11.48 am.

"After reaching an altitude of over 800 km, it re-entered the atmosphere and hit the pre-designated target. Two naval ships located down the range recorded the trajectory of the missile and the terminal phase and transmitted the data in real time," said V K Saraswat, chief of Defence Research and Development Organisation. "We tested the missile for its full range. Today's test proved the robustness of our missile technology."

The missile carrying a payload of a tonne withstood temperatures of more than 3000 degree celsius when it re-entered the atmosphere, said Saraswat. He said it has been a remarkable year for DRDO as all variants of Agni — the Agni-I, Agni-II, Agni-III and Agni-IV — and Prithvi missiles have been launched successfully.

This was the second trial of Agni-IV. The maiden launch was in November 2011.

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