ALERT: India test fires Prithvi-II and Agni-I ballistic missiles to strengthen nuclear deterrence capability.

According to information published by the Indian Ministry of Defense, on July 17, 2025, the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of India successfully conducted night-time test launches of two domestically developed short-range ballistic missile systems, Prithvi-II and Agni-I, from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha. These tests were part of a scheduled operational training program intended to validate India’s nuclear-capable missile systems under realistic combat conditions. Both launches achieved all technical and operational parameters, underscoring the reliability and combat readiness of India’s strategic missile forces.
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Indian Army successfully test fires Prithvi II and Agni I ballistic missiles from Chandipur test range on July 17, 2025, as part of the Strategic Forces Command operational readiness exercise. (Picture source: Archive image Social Network)

Ballistic missile systems are strategic long-range weapons designed to carry and deliver warheads along a ballistic trajectory after their initial powered flight. They exit the atmosphere and re-enter at high velocities to strike designated targets with precision. These systems can be configured for either conventional or nuclear payloads and form the backbone of a nation’s strategic deterrent posture. Depending on their classification as short-range, medium-range, or intercontinental, they are deployed to address varied threat spectrums and can be launched from static silos, mobile platforms, or submarines, enhancing survivability and flexibility in military operations.

The Prithvi-II missile, tested during this exercise, is a short-range, surface-to-surface ballistic missile developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. It is capable of striking targets up to 350 kilometers away and is powered by a two-stage liquid propulsion system. Prithvi-II is designed to carry both high-explosive conventional warheads and nuclear payloads, with a total warhead weight ranging from 500 to 1,000 kilograms. The missile's nuclear configuration typically supports a low-yield tactical fission warhead estimated in the range of 12 to 20 kilotons. Its advanced inertial navigation system and thrust vectoring control system ensure high precision targeting, making it suitable for tactical battlefield deployment. Deployed primarily by the Indian Army, Prithvi-II gives decision-makers a flexible, rapid-response strike option with credible penetration capabilities against regional adversaries.

Also validated during this operational trial was the Agni-I missile, India’s first in the Agni series of strategic ballistic missiles. Designed to bridge the range gap between Prithvi and Agni-II missiles, Agni-I has a range of approximately 700 to 900 kilometers and is powered by a single-stage solid-fuel propulsion system. This configuration allows for greater mobility, faster launch times, and simplified storage logistics. Agni-I is capable of carrying a single warhead of up to 1,000 kilograms, including conventional high-explosive or nuclear options. In its nuclear role, the missile is believed to be armed with a strategic thermonuclear or boosted-fission warhead, generally estimated in the 20 to 40 kiloton yield range, giving it the capacity to strike hardened or strategic targets deep within enemy territory. Mounted on road-mobile transporter erector launchers (TELs), Agni-I enhances survivability and operational flexibility, enabling it to be concealed and launched from dispersed, unpredictable locations.

The Indian Ministry of Defense emphasized that these tests were conducted under strict safety protocols and comprehensive monitoring systems, including radar tracking, telemetry, and optical instruments, to verify flight performance and terminal accuracy. The Strategic Forces Command continues to ensure operational preparedness and technological readiness of India’s nuclear-capable delivery systems. The latest successful tests reinforce India’s commitment to credible minimum deterrence and reflect the growing sophistication of its indigenous missile development programs, carried out with full respect to its No First Use nuclear doctrine.

Over the past decade, India’s defense industry has made significant strides in the research, development, and deployment of advanced ballistic missile systems, reinforcing the country’s strategic autonomy and deterrent capabilities. Under the leadership of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, India has expanded its missile portfolio across multiple ranges and platforms, including short, medium, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles, as well as submarine-launched variants. Notable developments include the continued refinement of the Agni series, the operationalization of Agni-IV and Agni-V with extended ranges and improved guidance systems, and the induction of the nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missile K-15 into the Indian Navy's Arihant-class submarines. These efforts have been driven by indigenous innovation, supported by the Strategic Forces Command, and complemented by robust command and control infrastructure to ensure survivable and credible second-strike capabilities.

For India, possessing nuclear capabilities is central to maintaining national security and regional stability, particularly in a strategic environment marked by the presence of two nuclear-armed neighbors, China and Pakistan. Nuclear weapons serve as a critical deterrent against large-scale conventional or nuclear aggression, allowing India to uphold its sovereignty and strategic independence. India's nuclear doctrine, built around the principle of No First Use and credible minimum deterrence, underscores its commitment to responsible stewardship while retaining the ability to retaliate with decisive force if provoked. This posture not only enhances India's strategic stature globally but also acts as a stabilizing factor in a volatile regional security architecture, ensuring that potential adversaries calculate the risks of escalation with utmost caution.