The nuclear-capable Agni-5 missile, which was test fired on Wednesday, is the deadliest in India’s missile arsenal, boasting a range of 5,000 km.
Published: August 21, 2025 6:47 PM IST
Agni-5 missile: India on Wednesday successfully test-fired the ‘Agni 5’ intermediate range ballistic missile from the Integrated Test Range in Odisha’s Chandipur, adding another deadly long-range missile to its already lethal arsenal that makes enemy nations to quiver in their boots.
Check out India’s deadliest missiles that can any turn any enemy nation, including Pakistan and China, to ash within minutes.
What are some of India’s deadliest missiles?
BrahMos
The BrahMos supersonic cruise, dubbed by many as India’s ‘Brahmastra’, showcased its destructive power during Operation Sindoor, when it wreaked havoc across Pakistan, annihilating terrorist hideouts and Pakistani military infrastructure, including key airbases, deep inside the enemy nation.
The BrahMos, is a medium-range cruise missile with a range between 450 to 600 kilometers, and can be launched from land, air, and sea. The supersonic missile flies at speeds of up to 3500 km, making interception difficult for enemy air defenses.
Akash missile system
The Akash missile system is India’s homegrown air defense system developed by state-owned DRDO. The Akash AD system is capable of tracking and neutralizing up to 64 targets simultaneously, at a distance of up to 45 km. The indigenous missile system is a vital part of India’s layered air defense network, with the ability to shoot down a wide-range of aerial threats, including enemy fighter jets, combat drones and small missiles.
The Akash missile system showcased its capabilities during the recent India-Pakistan conflict when it reportedly neutralized every drone launched by the enemy.
Pralaya ballistic missile
A short-range surface-to-surface missile, the Pralaya missile has a range of up to 500 km, and can carry a a payload of up to 1,000 kg.
Shaurya hypersonic missile
A quasi-ballistic, nuclear-capable missile, the Shaurya is a surface-to-surface tactical missile that can reach speeds of up to Mach 7.5 (approximately 9,200 km/h). Developed indigenously by DRDO, the Shaurya hypersonic missile has range of up to 1900 km, enabling it strike deep inside Pakistan.
Nirbhay cruise missile
Another homegrown cruise missile, the Nirbhay has a range of 1500 km, and can be launched from the sea, land and air. The Nirbhay cruise missile is equipped with TERCOM technology to avoid radar detection, and can also change direction mid-air, making it a hard to intercept.
Agni-5 and Agni range of missiles
The nuclear-capable Agni-5, which was test fired on Wednesday, is the deadliest in India’s missile arsenal, boasting a range of 5,000 km, that can be extended to nearly 7,000 km if required. The Agni-5 missile is equipped with MIRV technology, which means it can destroy multiple targets simultaneously.
The Agni 1 to 4 missiles, that have already been deployed, having ranges from 700 km to 3,500 km, are also amongst most lethal in India’s missile arsenal.
Anti-satellite missile
Apart from missiles that can target enemy aircraft and ground-based military infrastructure, India has also developed an indigenous anti-satellite missile that can shoot down enemy satellites in the orbit, thus destroying the enemy’s surveillance and communication capabilities.
Story Highlights
- India on Wednesday successfully test-fired the Agni-5 long-range ballistic missile.
- India has a wide range of hypersonic, ballistic and cruise missiles in its arsenal.
- Many of these missile can carry both nuclear as well as conventional warheads.
- The Agni-5 missile is the deadliest in India’s missile arsenal.
Notably, India is also working on Agni-6, which is expected to have a range of up to 12,000 km, giving Indian armed forces the capability to launch ultra-long range missile strikes on countries as far away as the Americas and Europe.
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