India has successfully tested the Agni-Prime missile using a rail-based mobile launcher. The test marks the first time this missile was launched from a platform integrated with the national railway network.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed the launch on X, calling it a “first-of-its-kind launch” and highlighting India’s growing strategic deterrence capabilities.
India has carried out the successful launch of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a Rail based Mobile launcher system. This next generation missile is designed to cover a range up to 2000 km and is equipped with various advanced features.
The first-of-its-kind launch… pic.twitter.com/00GpGSNOeE
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 25, 2025
Rail-Based Launch Enhances Mobility
“The first-of-its-kind launch carried out today from a specially designed rail-based Mobile Launcher has the capability to move on the Rail network without any preconditions, which allows users to have cross-country mobility and launch within a short reaction time with reduced visibility,” Singh said.
This system allows India to deploy missiles across the country quickly and discreetly. It reduces the time needed to react in case of a threat and makes the missile launch platform less visible to adversaries.
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India Joins Elite Group
Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, Strategic Forces Command (SFC), and the Armed Forces on the successful test. He said: “Congratulations to DRDO, Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and the Armed Forces on the successful test of the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile. This successful flight test has put India in the group of select nations having capabilities that have developed a canisterised launch system from a mobile rail network.”
The Agni-Prime is a next-generation ballistic missile capable of striking targets up to 2,000 kilometres away. The missile can be rapidly deployed thanks to its canister-based launch system.
Previous Missile Tests
The rail-based test follows an earlier successful launch of Agni-Prime in August at Chandipur, Odisha. India previously showed the Agni-5 missile’s MIRV (multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle) capability in March 2024 during a test conducted under the name ‘Mission Divyastra’.
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A MIRV missile can carry 3–4 nuclear warheads, each aimed at different targets. Currently, the Strategic Forces Command operates single-warhead missiles only. Agni-5 is a solid-fuelled, three-stage missile that can be canister-launched, allowing rapid deployment and enhanced operational readiness.
Strategic Implications
Experts say that launching Agni-Prime from a rail system shows India’s strategic flexibility and its nuclear deterrent. Moving missiles secretly over long distances makes them harder for enemies to track.
This test shows that India has advanced technology in missile deployment. The country now joins a small group of nations that have successfully developed canister-based rail-launch systems.
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