India joins select group of countries: Naveen Patnaik on Agni-Prime Missile launch

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], September 25 (ANI): Former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Thursday praised the agencies involved in the successful test of the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile.
"Congratulate DRDO, Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and Armed forces on the successful test of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile from a Rail based Mobile launcher system. Successful testing from a specially designed Rail based Mobile Launcher takes India to a select group of countries which have this capability," Patnaik posted on X.
India today successfully launched the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a rail-based Mobile launcher system, which is designed to cover a range of up to 2,000 km. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the concerned agencies on the launch.
"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," Singh posted on X.
The Defence Minister asserted that the success of the flight test has put India in the group of selected nations that have developed "canisterised launch system from on the move rail network".
"Congratulations to DRDO, Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and the Armed Forces on successful test of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile. This successful flight," Singh said.
"The first-of-its-kind launch carried out today from specially designed Rail based Mobile Launcher, has the capability to move on Rail network without any pre-conditions that allows User to have a cross country mobility and launch within a short reaction time with reduced visibility," he added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Rajnath Singh highlighted that India's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat was not merely to manufacture for its own needs, but to develop capabilities that allow India to become a credible source of advanced technology and high-quality products for the world.
Singh and his Moroccan counterpart Abdelatif Loudyi jointly inaugurated Tata Advanced Systems Limited's (TASL) state-of-the-art defence manufacturing facility in Berrechid, Morocco, on Tuesday. Rajnath Singh described the occasion as a historic moment in the evolving strategic partnership between India and Morocco.
Spread over 20,000 square metres, the facility will undertake production of the indigenously developed Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8x8, jointly designed by TASL and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
"For India, this initiative reflects the spirit of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat.' A self-reliant India, which is also an active and responsible player at the global level. The goal of our self-reliant India is not only to manufacture for its own needs but to create an ecosystem where India becomes a credible source of advanced technology and high-quality products for the world," Singh said.
"For India, self-reliance does not mean isolation rather, we aim to develop strategic autonomy under self-reliance. We want to develop such capabilities that allow us to independently protect our nation while also maintaining engagement with global partners," he added. (ANI)