On March 11, 2024, India conducted a flight test of the Agni-V missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) technology under “Mission Divyastra” or celestial weapon. This tremendously increases India’s land-based missile strike capabilities – both in terms of range and firepower. Agni-V Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a 5000 km range puts India among the few countries that have this capability including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China. Agni-V missile brings almost all of Asia, parts of Europe, and Pakistan and China in its range. This capability is likely to have implications for Indian nuclear doctrine; force posture; nuclear deterrence dynamics in South Asia; and regional balance of power.
