New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS): India will enter a league of select nations with missile capability to hit targets at 5,000 km range when it tests its Agni-V long-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile by February next year, defence scientists said Wednesday.
Following the test, India will take another three years to get the long-range missile, which is closer to Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) in range, for induction into the armed forces by end of 2014, they said at a press conference here.
"By February next year, we will conduct the test of Agni-V missile," said Avinash Chander, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chief Controller for Missile Systems.
"The test window will be anytime between end of December this year to two months from then," DRDO chief V.K. Saraswat qualified.
If the test is carried out by February 2012, the missile, with about 5,000-km range, will be ready for induction by 2014, Avinash Chander said. "That's what we are aiming to do."
The Agni-V range is just 500-km short of an ICBM. China has an ICBM that can reach any part of India and has over 11,000-km range.
"Only the US, Russia and China have that capability at the moment. There is no other country with such a capability (to test 5,000 km missile)," Avinash Chander said.
Saraswat said India's successful testing of the 3,500-km range Agni-IV and its technologies will provide it the capability to test Agni-V soon.
"The Agni-IV test success gives us the strength to test Agni-V that is under integration now, in the near future," he said.
"The two will have similar technologies, though Agni-V will be a three-stage propulsion system and Agni-IV is a two-phase propulsion system," the DRDO chief said.
Among the differences between Agni-IV and Agni-V will be the latter's higher payload capability, booster technology, and launchers.
The testing of the Agni-V will provide India the capability to test an ICBM in the future, though the government has time and again pointed out that it does not intend to do so.
Whether India will go in for an ICBM will be a political decision.