This was the first test of the Agni-5 missile after India became a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime, a 35-nation group to check the spread of unmanned delivery systems for nuclear weapons.

"Successful test firing of Agni V makes every Indian very proud. It will add tremendous strength to our strategic defence," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, congratulating the team of scientists behind the successful launch.

Agni-5 has a range of over 5,000 km and can carry about a 1,000-kg warhead. It can target almost all of Asia including Pakistan and China and Europe. The solid propellant driven missile will be tested from a canister which gives it all-weather and any terrain mobile launch capability.

The 17-metre long Agni-5 Missile weighs about 50 tonnes and is a very agile and modern weapon system.

The surface-to-surface missile is a fire-and-forget system that cannot be easily detected as it follows a ballistic trajectory.

India already has in its arsenal the Agni 1, 2, 3 and 4 missile systems and supersonic cruise missiles like Brahmos.

India describes the Agni - 5 missile system as a 'weapon of peace'.

The first missile of the series, Agni-I was developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program and tested in 1989.

In the series, Agni-1 has a 700-km range, Agni-2 has a 2,000 km range, and Agni-3 and Agni-4 have a 2,500 km to more than 3,500 km range.