India successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Agni-5 intermediate-range ballistic missile on August 20, 2025, from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha, under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command, validating all operational and technical parameters. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the three-stage, solid-fueled, canister-launched missile features a range exceeding 5,000 kilometers, capable of reaching the northernmost parts of China, and incorporates Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle technology, first demonstrated in a maiden flight test on March 11, 2024, under Mission Divyastra. This allows a single missile to deploy multiple warheads—potentially three to four or more—each targeting separate locations hundreds of kilometers apart, with advanced features including a ring laser gyroscope-based inertial navigation system, micro-inertial navigation system, and satellite navigation support from India’s NavIC besides other constellations for pinpoint accuracy. Future variants could extend the range to around 7,000 kilometers or beyond, building on India’s 2016 entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime, which has facilitated access to cutting-edge technologies. In Pakistan, experts have voiced concerns that these advancements could destabilize regional security and highlight India’s broader strategic ambitions. As India enhances its nuclear and conventional arsenal, the Agni-5 test reinforces its credible minimum deterrence policy while emphasizing the role of diplomatic dialogue in managing South Asian security dynamics and ensuring national defense readiness.