New agencies reported of a slated Agni V missile launch today. Putting rest to what the DRDO termed as rumours, India Today stated, DRDO Chief G Satheesh Reddy told them that there are no plans to test the nuclear-capable missile for another 20 days.

The Agni P, initially named Agni-1P, is said to weigh 50 per cent less than Agni 3 and is the lightest and smallest of the Agni series because of technological advancements. The missile comes with new composites, propulsion systems, innovative guidance and control mechanisms, besides the latest navigation systems.

The two-stage and solid-fuelled weapon system comes with new propulsion systems, composite motor casings, and inertial navigation systems based on advanced ring-laser gyroscopes which provides more accuracy in hitting its targets. Gyroscopes show the location of the missile and the trajectory it is taking.

Very few countries, including the US, China, Russia, France and North Korea, have intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Earlier, China has been continuously irked by the successful launches of Agni V missiles but now it brought up a UNSC resolution against it.

India has already conducted seven trials of the missile, which has a range of over 5,000 kilometres. The first successful test of the Agni-V was conducted on April 19, 2012. Successive tests were conducted on September 15, 2003; January 31, 2015; December 26, 2016; January 18, 2018; June 3 2018 and December 10, 2018.

But this year on September 16, Beijing opposed the Agni V missile test and referred to a post-Pokhran blast resolution of the United Nations Security Council and said that the UNSCR 1172 already has 'clear stipulations'.

According to which both India and Pakistan were called upon to stop further nuclear tests, cap their nuclear weapons programmes, cease all fissile material production and end development of ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

Here are the reasons why China is so persistent in its urges Agni V missile:

1. According to a source, “The missile can even be manoeuvred at one point, if need be,” as quoted by The Print. It is a feature that is rare in ballistic missile and that’s why it makes Agni V more difficult to intercept.

2. With a range of 1,000-2,000 kilometres, the deadly missile is capable of covering vital targets all across Pakistan and with a range of easily more than 5,500 km, the Agni-V has the ability to cover all of China’s Eastern Seaboard cities including Beijing and Shanghai.

3. It also includes a canisterised system facilitating increase of options in movement and launch of Agni V for the Strategic Forces Command movement.

China’s Global Times, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s mouth piece, wrote the missile test, “poses a direct threat to China’s security as well as a big challenge to the global efforts of nuclear-non proliferation,”

By adding that China should renew efforts in the Indian Ocean for its Belt and Road initiative, television military analyst Song Zhongping told the Global Times, “India is trying to build a military system with Australia, Japan and the U.S. in order to keep a closer watch on China,” as quoted by the print.

Image source: Time