DRDO and SFC Successfully Test Rail-Based Launch of Agni-Prime Missile from Abdul Kalam Island.

In September 2025, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of the Nuclear Command Authority (NCA), successfully conducted the first-ever test launch of the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime (Agni-P) missile from a Rail-Based Mobile Launcher (RBML) at Abdul Kalam Island, off the Odisha coast, under full operational conditions.

      - This launch marked the first-of-its-kind operational test using a Rail-Based Mobile Launcher (RBML), a specially designed platform integrated with India’s national railway network. The success sets a milestone in the development of mobile missile deployment systems.

      - The missile’s trajectory was precisely tracked during the trial, confirming a textbook launch. All test parameters and mission objectives were met, paving the way for induction of rail-based missile systems into India’s strategic arsenal.

Main Point :-   (i) The RBML is designed to operate seamlessly across India’s vast railway network without any pre-conditions. It offers advantages such as quick reaction time, enhanced mobility, and reduced detectability, thereby significantly strengthening India’s second-strike nuclear capability.

      (ii) The RBML is equipped with advanced features, including independent launch capabilities, state-of-the-art communication systems, and robust protection mechanisms, ensuring operational readiness in diverse conditions.

(iii) Agni-P is an indigenously developed, two-stage, canisterised, solid-propellant, surface-to-surface ballistic missile. With a maximum strike range of 2,000 kilometers, it adds to India’s deterrence capability by providing enhanced flexibility and survivability in deployment.
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