What is Agni-5, the long-range nuclear capable missile that India has tested?

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• nuclear-capable missile, which uses a three-stage solid-fuelled engine

• development of Agni missiles started in early 1980 under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme spearheaded by scientist and former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam

• Agni-5 can strike targets at ranges of 5,000 to 5,500 km, which puts major cities in China, including the capital Beijing, within its range.

• Agni P, a canisterised missile with a range capability between 1,000 and 2,000 km.

• ‘credible minimum deterrence’ and ‘No First Use’ which are pivotal points of India’s nuclear doctrine, first published in 2003.

• This basically means India would never use nuclear weapons first in a conflict situation but only as retaliation, and the arsenal maintained is to only deter the possibility of an attack on India

• The SFC, which carried out the test, is a key tri-services formation that manages and administers all the strategic assets and falls under the purview of the Nuclear Command Authority of India.

• The Nuclear Command Authority is the sole body which can authorize the use of nuclear weapons

• It comprises a Political Council and an Executive Council. The Political Council is chaired by the Prime Minister.

• The Executive Council, chaired by the National Security Advisor, provides inputs for decision-making by the Nuclear Command Authority and executes the directives given to it by the Political Council