India Tests Agni Prime Missile on Rail Launcher

New Delhi, September 25, 2025: India on Thursday successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Agni Prime (Agni-P) missile from a rail-based launcher, marking a first-of-its-kind milestone in the country’s strategic capabilities. The launch was conducted by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) using a specially designed rail launcher pulled by an Indian Railways locomotive.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, SFC, and armed forces for the achievement, saying the test places India among a select group of nations with canisterised missile launch capability from a moving rail network.

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About Agni Prime Missile

Agni Prime is a two-stage, solid-propellant intermediate-range ballistic missile with a strike range of up to 2,000 km, covering critical targets across Pakistan and much of China. The missile is canisterised, allowing it to be stored and transported in a sealed launch tube, enabling rapid launch without extensive pre-fuelling.

Until now, Agni-P was deployed only on road-mobile truck launchers. Thursday’s test marks its operational debut on a rail platform, offering enhanced mobility, concealment, and survivability for India’s nuclear forces.

Strategic Importance of Rail-Based Launch

Rail mobility significantly strengthens India’s nuclear deterrence. With nearly 70,000 km of rail tracks, the system allows missiles to be dispersed, hidden, and moved unpredictably, making them harder to detect or neutralise by adversaries. According to the Defence Minister, rail-based launch capability provides “cross-country mobility, rapid reaction capability, and low-visibility deployment.”

The combination of canisterisation and rail mobility ensures a quick reaction time, with missiles ready to launch within minutes. This enhances India’s second-strike capability under its No First Use (NFU) doctrine, ensuring credible retaliation even in the event of a first strike.

Global Context

Rail-mobile missile systems are rare. Only a few countries, including Russia, China, and North Korea, have tested or deployed similar capabilities. India’s successful demonstration aligns it with this small group, enhancing its strategic posture and complicating potential adversaries’ planning.

Advantages and Limitations

The rail-based system increases survivability, reduces reaction time, and introduces strategic redundancy, complementing India’s land, sea, and air nuclear triad. However, launch is limited to rail-covered areas, and precision may vary compared to fixed silos or surveyed road sites.

Thursday’s Agni Prime rail test underscores India’s commitment to modernising its strategic forces. By combining canisterisation with rail mobility, India has strengthened the survivability, responsiveness, and credibility of its nuclear deterrent.

DRDO and SFC confirmed that the missile successfully hit its target, validating the system’s operational readiness.