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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that India has successfully conducted the first flight test of its domestically developed missile featuring Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. Indian media, calling this a “milestone,” said it marked a significant advancement in the nation’s Agni missile series, which has been under development since 1983.

In a statement, Prime Minister Modi said he was “Proud to announce the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology.” Named after the Sanskrit word for “fire,” this series now includes a missile capable of deploying multiple warheads to various targets from a single launch, enhancing India’s strategic defense capabilities.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh also commented on the news, saying India had “joined the select group of nations” with this advanced missile capability. This group includes global powers such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia, alongside Pakistan, which tested the technology in 2017.

The Agni-V missile, the platform for this technology, boasts a range of approximately 3,100 miles, positioning India as a contender in the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) category. The development of this missile, a project of India’s Defense Research and Development Organization, is part of India’s ongoing efforts to enhance its medium and long-range missile systems, especially in light of increasing competition with China.