N-capable Agni I missile test-fired

India on Friday morning successfully test fired the nuclear capable Agni I missile from the country’s premier missile testing centre located at Wheelers Island off the coast of Dhamra in Bhadrak district  in Odisha.

The indigenously developed powerful missile which has the capability to hit a target at a distance of 700 kilometres carrying both conventional as well as nuclear warheads up to one tonne was test-launched from the launch pad number four of DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) run facility at 10:10 hours, sources in the Bhadrak district administration said.

The 15-metre long surface to surface ballistic missile which had its maiden test flight way back in 1989, has already been inducted into the Indian Army. “The Friday’s test was only an user trail jointly conducted by the Indian Army and the DRDO,” sources said.

 The airspace in the area was sealed and no domestic or international flights were allowed to fly in the testing zone during the test firing of the missile. Similarly, the movement of ships and fishing trawlers were prevented inside the Bay of Bengal near the isolated island during the missile test.