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Context:
India successfully conducted its first-ever test of the Agni-Prime intermediate-range ballistic missile from a rail-based mobile launcher on 24 September 2025.
Strategic Significance
- Mobility & Survivability:
- Rail-based launch allows launch on the move with short reaction time.
- Reduces detectability by enemy satellites; can hide in tunnels or move across the rail network.
- Canisterised System:
- Missile is in a sealed canister, similar to Agni-V, allowing longer storage, protection from weather, and rapid transport for launch from multiple locations.
Operational Context
- Replacement Plans: Agni-Prime will gradually replace Agni-I (700 km) and Agni-II (2,000 km) in the SFC arsenal.
- Existing Missile Arsenal:
- Prithvi-2: 350 km
- Agni-3: 3,000 km
- Agni-4: 4,000 km
- Agni-5: 5,000+ km