India Successfully Test-Fires Agni-3 Nuke-Capable Missile, Showcases Capability To Hit Inside Pakistan, China
India test-fires nuclear-capable Agni-3 missile, reinforcing strategic deterrence against Pakistan and China. Image courtesy: AI generated picture via DALL-E
India on Friday (February 6, 2026) successfully test fired the nuclear-capable Agni-3 intermediate-range ballistic missile off the Odisha coast on the eastern seaboard, showcasing capability to hit inside its arch rivals Pakistan and China.
The test was carried out from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur by the nuclear weapons operating Strategic Forces Command, according to a Ministry of Defence statement.
“The launch validated all operational and technical parameters. It was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command,” the statement said.
The Agni-3 can strike at targets about 3,000 km to 3,500 km range, and it has already been in service with the Indian Strategic Forces since 2011 as part of the nuclear deterrence.
Developed indigenously, the missile is a two-stage, solid-fuelled weapon platform carrying 1,500 kg payload.
Designed as a nukes delivery system for 200 kilotons to 300 kilotons yield warhead, the missile is 16.7 metres in length, two metres in diameter, and a launch weight of 48,300 kg.
The Strategic Forces have previously conducted multiple user trials of the Agni-3 missile, which is assessed to have a 40-metre Circular Error Probability (CEP).
