India tests nuclear capable missile a week ahead of Modi's visit to China

The Agni-5 was launched in India's eastern Odisha state and "validated all operational and technical parameters

1 min read
Updated On: Aug 21 2025 | 3:39 PM IST
India's Agni-5 Missile on display in New Delhi

The launch of Agani 5 mission india

India has successfully test-fired an indigenously developed intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead deep into the territory of its geopolitical rival, China, just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares for his first visit there in years.

The Agni-5 was launched in India’s eastern Odisha state and “validated all operational and technical parameters,” the country’s defense ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

The missile has a range of more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles), according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies Missile Defense Project. That puts India’s rivals like China and Pakistan well within range of the weapon.

India and China are locked in a fierce battle for influence across the Asia-Pacific. Both have navigated a frosty relationship after deadly clashes at their shared Himalayan border in 2020 pushed the two further apart than at any time in decades.

 
 
 

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First Published: Aug 21 2025 | 3:36 PM IST

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