Amid border clash with China, India successfully tested Agni V

In the midst of rising tensions with China over clashes along the de facto border in Arunachal Pradesh last week, India on December 16 night, tested Agni V nuclear-capable ballistic missile, which can hit targets beyond 5,400 km.

''The test, which showed that the missile can now reach targets farther away than before, was conducted to validate new technologies and equipment on the missile,'' several reports claimed.

The ballistic missile with nuclear warheads was launched from Abdul Kalam Island, which is off the coast of Odisha.

As per reports, this was a regular test, and it was the Agni V's ninth flight since it was originally tested in 2012.

Even though the test was conducted days after the clashes, it had been prepared beforehand. Long before the incident in Tawang, Arunachal, India had revealed its plans to launch a long-range missile and sent out a NOTAM or Notice to Airmen.

The incident is believed to be the deadliest on the nuclear-armed Asian superpowers' disputed border since a brawl in Ladakh's Galway Valley in 2020 that claimed the lives of 20 Indian troops and four Chinese soldiers.

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