Just days after Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman Samir V Kamath stated that the research agency was prepared to test India's first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with a range exceeding 10,000 kilometers, the Agni-6, and was awaiting government approval, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday strongly hinted at an imminent test, declaring that the Agni-6 is ready to make history.
NOTAM Issued for Long-Range Test
Coinciding with this announcement, India has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) designating a large area of the Bay of Bengal as a danger zone for a long-range missile test, with the warning effective from April 25 to May 6. This suggests that the test launch could take place within this window.
BJP's Official Statement
In a post on its official X account, the BJP stated: "Agni-6: India marching towards becoming a superpower! With a strike range of 10,000+ km and MIRV technology, Agni-6 is ready to make history. This missile will make India's security impregnable and place us in the league of the world's most powerful nations. Powerful India, Secure India!"
The party also released a video explaining that currently only five countries possess intercontinental ballistic missile capability: the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom. India is now poised to join this elite group. The video emphasized that Agni-6 is India's next-generation missile, extending India's reach from regional to global.
MIRV Technology Explained
The BJP post further highlighted the significance of Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology, which enables a single missile to deliver multiple nuclear warheads to different targets simultaneously. This capability enhances strike effectiveness and complicates missile defense systems. The post noted that this technology was previously only available to countries like the United States, Russia, and China, but India is now achieving the same level.
India's Hypersonic Missile Test
Prior to this development, India successfully conducted the second flight test of a Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM) with a strike range of 1,500 kilometers and a speed of Mach 10. Currently, no country has fully demonstrated the ability to intercept a hypersonic missile traveling at Mach 10, underscoring India's advancing missile capabilities.
With the Agni-6 test on the horizon, India is set to bolster its strategic deterrence and assert its position as a major global power in missile technology.
