Date:01/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/04/01/stories/2005040101790700.htm

Back Agni-III missile to be test fired by year-end

Our Bureau

Hyderabad , March 31

AGNI-III, the latest and advanced version of India's long range ballistic missile, is all set to be test fired by the end of 2005, the Programme Director of AGNI, Mr R.N. Agarwal, has said here.

Some important milestones that will establish several indigenous technologies, which in turn would make the missile more robust and gain advantage over the existing versions would be completed in the next few months, said Mr Agarwal, who is also Director of the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), a leading missile technology development institute.

Agni-III is designed to have a capability of hitting targets 3,000-3,500 km away. In 2004, the country successfully launched Agni-I and Agni-II with the participation of the user teams. Both these variants of the intermediate range ballistic missile have completed development flight tests and are in the process of being handed over to the Indian Army.

Mr Agarwal told presspersons that the development programme of the Agni project is going on as per schedule. "Agni programme is a standing example of the synergy between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the developer, and the Army, the user. There are no delays."