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Southeast Asia
India Test-Fires Nuclear-Capable Ballistic Missile After Minor Border Clash With China
2022-12-17
[ZH] See? The NORKs aren't the only ones flexing
India on Thursday carried out a test launch of a long-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile, Agni-5, which came days after a renewed clash between Indian and Chinese troops along the disputed Himalayan border.

Indian Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the successful launch of Agni-5 from Abdul Kalam Island in eastern Odisha state marked a "historic milestone" for the country’s defense industry.

"The missile will add great value to the defense and strengthen national security to a greater extent as it can travel 5400+ plus kilometers," Joshi said on Twitter.

The Agni-5 uses a three-stage solid-fueled engine and is capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 kilometers (around 3,100 miles) with "very high degree of accuracy," according to the Indian Ministry of Defense.

This was not the first time India test-fired a surface-to-surface Agni-5 ballistic missile. The ministry test-fired one on Oct. 27, 2021, which it said reaffirmed India’s policy to have "credible minimum deterrence" that underpins its commitment to "No First Use."

India’s "No First Use" policy stipulates that nuclear weapons will only be used in retaliation against a nuclear attack on Indian territory or Indian forces.
Renewed Clashes

The recent Agni-5 missile launch came on the heels of fresh tensions between India and the Chinese regime following clashes between their troops along the disputed Himalayan border on Dec. 9.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said that Indian troops prevented Chinese soldiers from crossing the line of actual control (LAC) at the Tawang Sector in India’s northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, a territory that China claims as its own.

"The Chinese attempt was contested by our troops in a firm and resolute manner," Singh told parliament.

The border clash resulted in minor injuries on both sides. Singh said that India’s commander met with his Chinese counterpart following the incident and demanded that Chinese troops "refrain from such actions."

This has occurred as a video of an earlier unreported violent brawl between Chinese and Indian troops believed to have taken place in September 2021 in Arunachal Pradesh went viral on social media this week.


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Posted by:Frank G

#1  Nothing to do with the clash, it was scheduled last year. Routine testing of an in-development project. A lower weight variant of an 8000 km range missile that's all.
Posted by: Dron66046   2022-12-17 13:31  

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