Night launch of the Agni-II to be attempted

New Delhi: Six months after a partially successful test on 19 May, India is all set to test its 2,000-km-plus, Agni-II missile from the Wheeler Island off the coast of Orissa this Monday. Also, for the first time, an Indian missile test would be conducted at night.

Sources said the user trial of the two-stage, solid fuelled missile will take place anytime between 8-9 pm.

The road mobile, intermediate range Agni-II

The 20-metre tall, rail and road-mobile, ready-to-fire missile was earlier to be tested on 6 November but technical snags in the pneumatic system of the missile postponed the test to a later date.

The Agni-II can is capable of carrying 1,000 kg payload over distances of 2,000 km and more. The range may even be increased by at least a thousand kilometres with a proportionate decrease in the weight of the payload.

Though there are other nuclear platforms also available to the nation's armed forces, the Agni-II, along with 700-km short range Agni-I and the 3,500-km medium range Agni-III, form the triad of the country's minimum, credible, nuclear deterrence.

Of these three systems, only the Agni-I is fully operational.