India has successfully conducted the flight test of its new generation Agni Prime intermediate-range ballistic missile, the country’s Defense Ministry Rajnath Singh said Thursday.
The missile was launched on Wednesday from a specially designed rail-based mobile launcher for the first time, “under a full operational scenario.”
The system can move freely on the rail network, enabling cross-country mobility, rapid reaction capability, and low-visibility deployment for a strike range up to 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles),” the ministry said.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said the successful flight test has “put India in the group of select nations having capabilities that have developed a canisterised launch system from an on-the-move rail network.”
Agni Prime, a nuclear-capable missile, is the advanced variant of the Agni class of missiles. India has previously conducted successful flight tests of this missile as well.
Canisterization and Mobility: Key Game-Changers
In this launch, the missile was canisterized and fired from a specially modified rail wagon while simulating an operational scenario. The missile was not launched from the static pad with every variable control, but from a platform that is designed to move in and out of the national rail network. The canisterization and rail mobility are the key components of this system.
Currently, this capability exists only with Russia, the US, and China, with the new missile, India can now exploit its 70,000 km of rail network, the fourth-largest rail network in the world, for its defense. The cross-country mobility of this missile system allows for firing missiles from remote areas without road support.
Moreover, trains can even hide in tunnels. The rapid reaction capability of this missile system enables missiles to be fired within minutes, rather than hours, potentially enhancing its deterrence capabilities and reducing the response time from hours to minutes. The new missile system will allow India to hide its missiles in the tunnel, perhaps evading detection from the satellite.
In August 2025, India had tested Agni-5, an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead into China.
Agni Prime vs Agni-V: Complementary Roles in India’s Arsenal
Agni 5 and Agni Prime both belong to the Agni family, but they have different purposes and bring unique advantages to the nation’s defense capabilities. Agni Prime is India’s next-generation intermediate-range ballistic missile that has the capability to target strikes up to 2,000 km. The key features of this missile system are that it can be launched from road- and rail-based mobile platforms.
While Agni 5 is India’s longest-range missile that has the striking capabilities for up to 5,000 km, it’s a three-stage solid-fuel missile that can be canister-launched for fast deployments. Agni Prime is meant for quick mobile regional coverage, reducing its second strike capability. Agni 5 bolsters India’s long-range strategic capability.
By reducing the enemy’s capabilities to track India’s missiles, it will make it much more risky for its adversaries to launch a first attack on India. The Agni missiles enhance India’s triad- strike deeper as well as reduce the response time to the first attack, thus limiting the enemy’s capability to destroy its missiles in the first attack.
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India has carried out the successful launch of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a Rail based Mobile launcher system. This next generation missile is designed to cover a range up to 2000 km and is equipped with various advanced features.
The first-of-its-kind launch… pic.twitter.com/00GpGSNOeE
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 25, 2025
Implications for Pakistan and China
The latest missile system of India has several implications for Pakistan and China. Pakistan relies mainly on road-mobile missile system that includes Shaheen, Ghauri, and Nasr. This makes Pakistan more exposed to counter-force risks. Pakistan may view this as an imminent threat to its strategic stability and must respond with higher readiness postures.
While Agni Prime covers Pakistan entirely but it covers only parts of China. Agni-V and the ongoing 7500 km programme are clearly China-focused. Higher mobility increases the survivability of India’s land-based arsenals. The test of the missile comes in the backdrop of the continuing Himalayan disputes with China and the recent military escalation with Pakistan in May 2025, certainly solidifying its defences against its long-standing neighboring adversaries, Pakistan and China.
India’s nuclear command just tested the 2,000 km range Agni Prime missile for the first time from a rail-based mobile launcher that allows the missile to be transported quickly using the vast Indian rail network. pic.twitter.com/j8JRtRHzGi
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) September 25, 2025
India is moving towards enhancing its deterrence in the face of China’s nuclear and conventional superiority, which, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, has 600 nuclear warheads as compared to India’s 180 nuclear warheads.
The possible consequences are that both Pakistan and China will enhance their satellite surveillance over South Asia. China may encourage Pakistan to strengthen its deterrence. The test of the new missile may also accelerate the arms race in South Asia. Pakistan will also review its options to enhance its deterrence in the face of increasing risks from Pakistan.
GVS South Asia Desk, with inputs from wire agencies