Agni V

The Union government has sanctioned Rs2,500 crore for developing the country’s most ambitious missile, a nuclear-capable Agni-V with a range of 5,000 kilometres — one step short of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).Agni V is expected to emerge as a credible key nuclear delivery weapon in about seven years time.
Sources said a high-level committee headed by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh sanctioned the budget for Agni-V, the biggest indigenous single missile project, a few days ago.
A committee comprising the prime minister, defence minister A K Antony and finance minister P Chidambaram sanctions such strategic projects. India’s longest range missile, the Agni V would be primarily a step forward from 3,000-km range Agni-III, which was successfully test-fired last on May 7.
Agni-V should be ready for test flights in about four years, said a dependable source. DRDO would primarily add one more stage to the two-stage Agni-III missile for creating Agni-V and improve upon its other systems. Agni-V would be a three-stage Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) with solid propellants.
It would have a range of 5,000 kilometres, according to the DRDO’s notification given for political approval.
The design of Agni-V is expected to be ready in about two years, and the first test could be anytime in three to four years.