In a move to make the 2,000 km Agni-II fully operational, the army is expected to test-fire the missile on May 19. This will be the first ‘training user-trial’ of the missile designed to give the army confidence in its reliability1. The army has already carried out training trials of the 700 km range Agni-I missile. Reports noted that although the Agni-I and Agni-II missiles are being inducted into the armed forces, more user trials will be necessary to operationalize them in large numbers.

• 1. “User-Trial of Surface-to-surface Agni-II missile on May 19,” May 13, 2009, at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/User-trial-of-surface-to-surfac...