India successfully test-fires Prithvi-II and Agni-1 ballistic missiles from Odisha range

NEW DELHI: India successfully test-fired Short-Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBM), Prithvi-II and Agni-I, from the Integrated Test Range in Odisha’s Chandipur, the Ministry of Defence said in an official statement.

The launches took place on Thursday, during which all operational and technical parameters were validated. These tests were conducted under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command.

India successfully tests Prithvi-II and Agni-I ballistic missiles in Odisha

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On July 16, India achieved a significant milestone by successfully destroying two Aerial high-speed unmanned targets at high altitude in Ladakh by Akash Prime, the upgraded variant of the Akash Weapon System for the Indian Army. The weapon system is customised to operate at altitudes above 4,500 meters and has the latest upgrades, including an indigenously developed Radio Frequency seeker, as per the release.

#WATCH | Successful trials of the Akash Prime missile carried out in the Ladakh sector on Wednesday, July 16. The missiles scored two direct hits in the trials conducted by the Indian Army’s Army Air Defence. The missile has been developed by the Defence Research and Development… pic.twitter.com/sTSNKVkIjS

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2025

Based on the operational feedback from users, various upgrades have been made to improve the operational effectiveness, demonstrating the advantage of the ecosystem created for the indigenous weapon system.

According to the statement, Army Air Defence and DRDO, in conjunction with Defence PSUs such as Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited, and other Industry Partners, have successfully validated the indigenously designed and developed Akash Prime Weapon System.

The trials were done as part of the First of Production Model firing trial and will further enable timely induction and enhance the Air Defence potential in high-altitude frontiers of the country, as per the release.

This achievement carries added significance as it follows the exceptional performance of India’s indigenously developed air defence systems during Operation Sindoor. It marks a major step forward for the nation’s missile development programmes, which are now gaining increasing attention in the global defence market.

According to the release, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has complimented the Indian Army, DRDO, and the industry on this remarkable achievement. He described the success as a significant boost to India’s Air Defence capabilities, particularly for meeting high-altitude operational requirements.

According to the statement, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO Samir V Kamat, congratulated the teams associated with the successful test and stated that the missile has met the country’s critical air defence requirements for high altitude. (ANI)