India test-fires nuclear-capable ballistic missile

Jan. 18 (UPI) -- From an island off the Odisha coast Thursday morning, India test-fired its Agni-V, a nuclear-capable ballistic missile that could reach the northern-most parts of China.

The test was a success according to India's Minister of Defense Nirmala Sitharaman, who said the range for the Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile Agni-V is 5,000 kilometers, or about 3,100 miles.

The missile's canister-launch version provides more flexibility, allowing the missile to quickly be transported and fired from most platforms. Previous test launches were done from a sealed canister mounted on a launcher truck.

The Agni-V was last tested in December 2016, then described as the fourth and final experimental test of the three-stage missile, which will undergo a few more trials before being produced.

After the missile is inducted, India will join the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain as the countries with missiles boasting a range more than 3,100 miles.