On August 20, 2025, local time, the Indian Ministry of Defense announced that the Indian military successfully test-fired an Agni-5 intercontinental missile. According to Indian sources, the Indian military successfully test-fired an Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile at the Chandipur rocket missile launch base in Odisha. This was the 11th test firing of the Agni-5 intercontinental missile. The Agni-5 intercontinental missile is a three-stage solid-fueled missile developed by Indian defense industry, capable of being transported and launched by train and road, and it has a TEL (Transporter-Erector-Launcher) triad launch capability. It is reported that in 2024, India achieved multiple warheads for the Agni-5 intercontinental missile. India has always refused to disclose the range of the Agni-5 intercontinental missile. The U.S. estimates its range as 5,500 kilometers, but India claims that the Agni-5 intercontinental missile's range should be between 5,000 and 8,000 kilometers.

On August 20, 2025, local time, the Indian military successfully test-fired an Agni-5 intercontinental missile

This can be understood as roughly equivalent to the initial version of China's Rocket Force's Dongfeng-31 intercontinental missile, or even the early model of the Dongfeng-31 intercontinental missile, which only had a single warhead. There has been no news about the next generation of the Agni-5 intercontinental missile. Apart from the slow development progress, another reason is that the Agni-5 intercontinental missile's range of 5,000-8,000 kilometers is already sufficient to cover all of India's hypothetical enemies. Unless India has a need to launch a nuclear strike against the United States, the range of the next generation of intercontinental missiles may still remain within 8,000 kilometers, focusing not on increasing range but on improving mobility, accuracy, and payload capacity.

Local Indian residents captured the Indian military launching an Agni-5 intercontinental missile

, the Indian military's Agni-5 intercontinental missile created a gas cloud in the sky

However, with U.S. President Trump's tariff war against India, India now has a need for a nuclear strike against the United States. If there is a need, deploying it in southern India could cover the entire U.S. territory, and the range would have to increase. The next generation of India's Agni-6 and Agni-7 intercontinental missiles would need to increase their range to 10,000-12,000 kilometers, or even up to 15,000 kilometers.

India's rapid progress in missile technology has led to a significant actual demand for anti-missile systems. Intercepting India's Agni missiles also requires participation from a multi-layered anti-missile system, which are quite practical needs. Countries and regions around us that have medium-range missiles include India in the southwest, Japan and South Korea in the northeast, Taiwan, the Philippines, and the U.S. in the southeast. The pressure on air defense and anti-missile systems is indeed very high. However, India's Agni-5 intercontinental missile is closely related to U.S. President Trump's tariff war against India.

The Agni-5 intercontinental missile can be launched on a train

India's 11th launch of the Agni-5 intercontinental missile

On August 20, 2025, local time, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bensons explained why the United States is currently imposing tariffs on India rather than China. He stated that the U.S. had already imposed tariffs on China before, so they now want to "make India suffer." Bensons said, "Before the Ukraine war, India imported less than 1% of its oil from Russia. Now the proportion has reached 42%." "India has made $16 billion in excess profits by purchasing Russian oil at a low price and reselling it (to the U.S., Europe, and Western countries)." "This arbitrage behavior is unacceptable." According to Bensons' reasoning: China uses it itself, so the U.S. can accept it.

The U.S. claims that India has resumed purchasing Russian oil after getting discounts. After a short pause, India resumed buying Russian crude oil, with deliveries expected in September and October. Russia offered more favorable conditions: the discount on Russian oil increased from $1 per barrel to $2.5 per barrel. Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Manturov stated that Russia continues to supply oil, coal, and petroleum products to India. Manturov also revealed that over 90% of trade between Russia and India has been converted to currency settlement. At the same time, India said that China will resume exporting rare earths, fertilizers, and tunnel boring machines to India.

India will not give up using Russian oil

China buys oil for its own use, which does not compete with American oil companies, so it is different. For the U.S., India acts as a middleman, reducing the sales of expensive American oil, and it must print India. India has made a fortune, and the loss is on Russia and the EU, who are taken advantage of by the middleman. For the U.S., it also believes it has "lost," because cheap Russian oil wasn't purchased, and American oil intended to be sold at a high price to Europe was intercepted by India. In fact, if India purchases Russian oil, the data shows this, which can help understand why Trump wants to take action, as India and the U.S. are competing for business, especially in the direction of Europe. Trump is jealous, as Western capital's profits are being taken by India. That's why the U.S. wants to hit India hard! India is a master of seizing advantages, and in fact, Europe knows that the oil sold by India is Russian oil, but that doesn't stop Europe from both sanctioning Russian oil and buying the Russian oil from India's middlemen.

India's profit from Russian oil has caught the attention of the U.S. authorities

Wanting India to buy American crude oil for processing is too expensive. In the past, the main source of U.S. heavy oil imports was Russia, which is why, after the outbreak of the Ukraine war, despite the U.S. claiming to have achieved oil self-sufficiency, diesel prices almost doubled because diesel needed to be refined from heavy oil. The cost of extracting shale oil in the U.S. is the highest, about $85 per barrel. To make a profit, the price needs to be over $100 per barrel, but who would buy it? Previously, the U.S. imported heavy oil from Venezuela, but when relations with Venezuela deteriorated, it switched to importing from Russia. After the Russia-Ukraine war, both sources were cut off, causing diesel prices to nearly double, greatly increasing inflation and directly affecting the election. As a result, the U.S. had to go back to Venezuela to restore supplies.

India has decided to stand up to the U.S. this time!

Before the war, China purchased 13% of its total oil imports from Russia, and now it is 16%; India was 1% before the war and has now increased to 42%, so India is making huge profits. For the U.S. and Trump, the Chinese import ratio of Russian oil is based on actual needs for energy security and economic development, which cannot be forced or negotiated. Pressuring China in this area would not be effective, and might even lead to Chinese retaliation. India is different; it is easier to control and brings quick returns. However, Trump underestimated India. India has clearly shown its position with the Agni-5 intercontinental missile, and it will not fear U.S. sanctions or become a U.S. pawn!

Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7540787513846186546/

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