March 4, 2005 :: News
India has revised its estimate of when the Agni III ballistic missile will begin to undergo testing, which was reportedly expected as early as 2003; initial flight testing is now said to be at least another year away, namely in 2006, due to technical problems which are now said to be “well under control.” The
Times of India quotes a source as saying that “The Agni-I (700-800 km range) and Agni-II (2,000-km-plus) missiles, already being inducted into the Army as part of the deterrent posture against Pakistan, have boosters from Indian Space Research Organisation…But Agni-III is a totally different system, with an entirely new vehicle…Its various systems have to be extensively tested in ground test-beds first to establish reliability.”
Update: Aviation Week & Space Technology reports that the first test of the Agni III from India’s Orissa test range is expected by the end of this year, a senior Indian defense official told the magazine. It also noted that the “trials have been on the way for the past two years, but development problems and—reportedly—political pressure from the U.S. have delayed the launch. Indian officials have resisted comment on the program’s progress. When asked about it last June, Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee would say only that the Agni III will be tested ‘as and when required.’” (Article)
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