PUNE: Two Pune based Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratories have played a significant role in providing key components to the nuclear–capable Long Range Ballistic Missile Agni-V, which on Sunday was successfully test-fired off the Odisha coast.

The surface-to-surface missile was launched with the help of a mobile launcher from Launch Pad 4 of the integrated test range (ITR) at Dr Abdul Kalam Island in the Bay of Bengal at 9.48 am, the DRDO sources told TOI on Sunday.

PK Mehta, Director General of Armament Combat Engineering (ACE) cluster headquartered in Pune, told TOI on Sunday, “The canister launcher of the missile has been developed by Ahmednagar-based Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (VRDE) while high energy materials composition for boosters were developed by the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).”

This was the sixth trial of the indigenously developed Agni 5 missile. The last trial of the missile was carried out in the month of January this year.

Commenting on the results and flight performance of the missile, Mehta said, “The missile’s flight performance was excellent and has achieved desired results, which is a very positive sign for the country.”

Currently, the country has four Agni series missiles with various ranges in its inventory. Agni–1 with 700 km range, Agni–2 with 2,000 km range, Agni–3 and Agni–4 with 2,500 km to more than 3,500 km range.

All the tests of the missiles have been successful. The first test was conducted on April 19, 2012, the second on September 15, 2013, the third on January 31, 2015 and fourth on December 26, 2016. The last test was held on January 18, 2018.