With reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- 1.It is a surface-to-surface missile.
- 2.It is fuelled by liquid propellant only.
- 3.It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 7500 km away.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) 1 only
Agni-IV is a long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile. It runs on a solid-fuel rocket motor, not liquid fuel. Its range is 4,000 km, not 7,500 km. Only statement 1 is correct.
- ✓ 1. The Ministry of Defence describes Agni-IV as a long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile. It is launched from a road-mobile launcher developed by DRDO.
- ✗ 2. The 2014 test release says Agni-IV is propelled by composite solid fuel rocket motor technology. It does not use liquid propellant, so 'liquid only' is wrong.
- ✗ 3. Agni-IV's official range is 4,000 km. A range of about 7,500 km is far beyond it.
- ✗ (c) This option is tempting because Agni-IV is nuclear-capable. But it accepts the wrong 7,500 km range in statement 3.
Remember · Agni-IV: two-stage, solid-fuelled, road-mobile surface-to-surface missile with a 4,000 km range. Agni-V is the longer-range (5,000 km-plus) missile.
Sources
- PIB, Ministry of Defence – India Successfully Test Fires Agni-IV (20 Jan 2014) ↗ “AGNI-IV, the 4000 kms range Nuclear Capable Ballistic Missile was successfully launched today at 1052 hrs from the Wheeler island off the coast of Odisha. … The AGNI-IV missile propelled by composite solid fuel rocket motor technology was launched from its road mobile launcher indigenously developed by DRDO.”
- PIB, Ministry of Defence – Successful Flight Test of Agni-IV (2 Jan 2017) ↗ “Agni-IV, the Long Range Surface to Surface Ballistic Missile with a range of 4,000 kms was successfully flight tested, once again proving the reliability and efficacy of the weapon system.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2014, General Studies Paper I. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·
