Weather plays spoilsport, Agni-5 test postponed

India today postponed the maiden flight test of Agni-5, the country's first long range inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Wheeler Island, off the Odisha coast. Priya Ranjan Sahu reports.

India on Wednesday postponed the maiden flight test of Agni-5, the country's first long range inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Wheeler Island, off the Odisha coast.

Bad weather conditions were cited as the reason.

“Due to heavy lightning in the region, the Agni-5 launch is postponed for safety reasons,” said Ravi Kumar Gupta, director, directorate of public interface, Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO).

Sources said the test has been rescheduled for Thursday. Though the test was slated for Wednesday, next two days had also been kept on reserve considering the unpredictable weather conditions, they said.

The Indian strategic establishment had been eagerly awaiting the flight test of the indigenously built 5000km-range missile as its success would catapult India to an exclusive club of countries like USA, Russia, China and France who possess technology to develop ICBM.

Agni-5 is a three-stage, all solid fuel powered missile with multiple independent targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) which means the missile can target several areas simultaneously with one-tonne nuclear warhead.

The missile, with a length of 17.5metre, weighs 50 tonnes and can carry 11 quintals of warheads.