Jane's Defense: India Successfully Fires a Agni Ballistic Missile from a Railway Track

India conducted its first railway mobile launch of the "Agni-Prime" medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), marking an important milestone in the country's strategic deterrence capability. The Indian Ministry of Defense stated in a statement released the next day that the test was carried out by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Indian Strategic Forces Command (SFC) on September 24.

The image of the "Agni-Prime" medium-range missile being launched from a railway mobile launch system was captured.

The Ministry of Defense stated that the test was conducted using a railway mobile launch vehicle under "full operational scenarios." The statement also included a video showing the missile's launch process.

The video starts with the medium-range ballistic missile in a vertical launch position, followed by what appears to be a cold launch process driven by compressed gas, ejecting the missile from the launch tube. Shortly after the cold launch process, the first stage solid rocket engine of the missile ignited. In addition to the launch method, the "Agni-Prime" missile shown in the video is similar in appearance to the medium-range ballistic missile tested from Dr. Abdul Kalam Island off the northeast coast of Odisha in April 2024.

In a statement issued on September 24, 2025, the Indian Ministry of Defense stated that the railway mobile launch method provides the weapon with "off-road mobility, rapid response capability, and low visibility deployment capability."

"Agni-Prime" is a two-stage solid-fuel, nuclear-capable ground-to-ground missile, 10 meters long, which was first tested by DRDO in 2021. Compared to earlier models of the "Agni" series, such as "Agni-2," this medium-range ballistic missile is equipped with a maneuverable re-entry vehicle (MaRV), offering improved accuracy and survivability.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7554267007726682666/

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