08:38 11-05-2026

India’s Agni MIRV Test Compared to Russia’s Oreshnik

Government of India, GODL-India, via Wikimedia Commons

India reports a successful Agni MIRV missile test as expert Yuri Knutov explains how the system may resemble Russia’s Oreshnik complex.

India Says It Has Successfully Tested Upgraded Agni Missile With MIRV Warheads

India’s Ministry of Defence has reported a successful test of an upgraded Agni missile fitted with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles, or MIRVs. Speaking to aif.ru, military expert Yuri Knutov assessed the system and explained why it may invite comparisons with Russia’s Oreshnik missile complex.

According to Knutov, the Indian development is a ballistic missile that resembles Oreshnik mainly because of its multiple-warhead design. He noted, however, that the Russian system has a number of distinctive features. Its independently guided warheads, he said, can further split into submunitions, allowing the missile to strike a much wider area. Another key difference is the effect of a kinetic impact: the damage is not limited to the surface, as a seismic wave is also generated underground.

Knutov described India’s project as something that could be called a conditional counterpart to Oreshnik. In his view, the two systems share certain elements, including a separating warhead section, and India may also be using kinetic blocks without a high-explosive payload.

The expert also pointed out that India has been building its own missile programs for many years. He linked that effort to the country’s nuclear arsenal and its difficult relationship with Pakistan. According to Knutov, each side has around 170 nuclear warheads, and such weapons require delivery systems — a role filled by ballistic missiles.

He added that Russia’s Oreshnik can carry not only kinetic blocks, but also nuclear ones. In this context, Knutov argued that India needs to develop similar weapons to preserve its security balance.

Relations with China are another factor, he said. While India’s disputes with Beijing may not be as intense as those with Pakistan, they still periodically create serious tensions between the two countries. That, according to Knutov, is why New Delhi is working on missile systems that could strengthen its security.