Agni Missile Programme

They began inside a government plan to build many missiles at home.

What was that plan?

• The plan was the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
• It produced Prithvi, Dhanush, Akash, Nag and Agni.
• Agni began as a re-entry “Technology Demonstrator” project.
• Its cost was listed as 74.34 crore rupees.
• The demonstrator was completed, and its technology went into the Agni series.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) designs the Agni missiles.

What is the memory hook?

Think “IGMDP, demonstrator, Agni”. One plan, then one family.

They were the first two numbered Agni missiles.

What do the official replies say?

• India tested Agni-I on 25 January 2002.
• The 2002 reply gave Agni-I a range of 800 km.
• The 2003 reply gave Agni-I a range of 700 km.
• Both replies gave Agni-II a range of 2,000 km.
• Agni-II was in production and induction by then.
• Official ranges are rounded, and different years used different numbers.

What is the memory hook?

Think “700 and 2,000”. Agni-II reaches nearly three times farther.

India test-fired Agni-4 on 6 August 2026. It flew from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha.

What do we know?

• The Ministry of Defence called it a medium-range ballistic missile.
• The launch validated all operational and technical parameters.
• The Strategic Forces Command (SFC) carried out the test.
• An earlier Agni-4 launch was announced on 6 September 2024.
• A May 2026 report said Agni-1 to Agni-4 have ranges from 700 km to 3,500 km.
• Those missiles are already deployed.

What is the memory hook?

Think “Chandipur, SFC, August”. The SFC runs the test.

Agni-5 is a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile. Mission Divyastra tested it with a new warhead system.

What happened in Mission Divyastra?

• DRDO made the first successful flight test of Agni-5 with MIRV technology.
• It took place on 11 March 2024.
• It flew from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.
• Telemetry and radar stations tracked multiple re-entry vehicles.
• PM Modi praised the DRDO scientists.

What does MIRV mean?

• MIRV stands for Multiple Independently Targetable Re-Entry Vehicle.
• One missile carries several warheads.
• Each warhead can go to a different target.

What is the memory hook?

Think “Divyastra, MIRV, Kalam Island”. Many warheads, one missile.

Agni-Prime is a newer missile. It is not simply “Agni-VI”.

What is Agni-Prime?

• It is a new-generation, solid-fuelled variant of Agni.
• Its reported range is 1,000 to 2,000 km.
• It can be canisterised, so the warhead is stored with the missile.
• That shortens the time needed to prepare and launch.
• SFC and DRDO ran a flight test on 4 April 2024.

How is a ballistic missile different from a cruise missile?

• A ballistic missile burns its rocket only at the start.
• Then it follows an unpowered arc.
• A cruise missile is jet-propelled for its whole flight.
• BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile.
• Agni-V is a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile.

What is the memory hook?

Think “ballistic arcs, cruise cruises”. The engine tells you which is which.

Two questions used Agni in the last few years.

What did UPSC ask in 2023?

The key is option (d). Both statements reverse the facts. View the UPSC CSP 2023 paper.

What did CDS-II ask in 2021?

The key is option (a). View the CDS-II 2021 paper.

What is the memory hook?

Think “ballistic arcs, Prime is 1,000 to 2,000”. Two facts cover both questions.

Four mix-ups come up again and again. Learn each pair.

What are the traps?

• Ballistic or cruise? Agni is ballistic. BrahMos is a cruise missile.
• Agni-Prime or Agni-VI? Agni-Prime is a separate new-generation missile.
• Which range? Agni-Prime is 1,000 to 2,000 km. Agni-II was given as 2,000 km.
• Which test? Agni-5 with MIRV was Mission Divyastra in 2024. Agni-4 flew in 2026.

What is the memory hook?

Think “arc, Prime, Divyastra”. Each word flags one mix-up.