Pakistan conducted the successful test of its second missile system within a week. According to the Pakistani military, the Ghauri missile weapon system was tested successfully on Tuesday. Prior to this, on October 18, it had conducted a successful test of the Ababil missile weapon system.
On Tuesday, Pakistan conducted a successful test of its nuclear-capable missile Gauri. This missile weapon system is known as ‘Hatf 5,’ which is considered a replica of North Korea’s Rodong-1 missile. Pakistan had tested the Ababil missile weapon system, a ballistic missile, just a challenging week ago. Pakistan has stated that the purpose of these tests is to assess the military’s operational and technical readiness. The Gauri missile is one of Pakistan’s main missiles. Let’s take a look at where Gauri, or Hatf-5, stands in comparison to India’s Agni missile.
Ghauri is a copy of a North Korean missile, whereas Agni is India’s indigenous missile.
In most cases, Pakistan’s weaponry is either sourced from China or imitates Chinese designs. In the case of Gauri, the distinction is that it replicates a North Korean missile, not a Chinese one. On the other hand, when we talk about India’s Agni series of missiles, they are entirely indigenous. Missiles ranging from Agni-1 to Agni-5 have been designed and developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). Agni-5, in particular, is a domestically developed advanced surface-to-surface ballistic missile, created under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP). The IGMDP missile program is the brainchild of the renowned ‘Bharat Ratna’ Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
Ghauri vs Agni-5: Range and Capability
There is no comparison between Gauri, also known as Hatf-5, and India’s Agni-5 missile when it comes to range. While Gauri is a medium-range ballistic missile, Agni-5 is an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), meaning it is capable of striking from one continent to another. Both Gauri and Agni possess nuclear capabilities. Speaking of the range of the Hatf-5 ‘Gauri’ missile, it is capable of reaching targets between 1,250 to 1,500 kilometers and can carry a payload of approximately 700 kilograms. On the other hand, Agni-5 has a range of over 5,000 kilometers and is capable of carrying a payload of 1,650 kilograms or more.
Pakistani media claimed a few years ago that the Gauri missile, also known as Hatf-5, had been deployed at six locations along the border with India, between Sialkot and Karachi. The report suggested that the Gauri missile had the capability to target cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Jaisalmer, and others. On the other hand, in the case of Agni-5, its range extends not only to the entirety of Pakistan but beyond, covering the Asian continent. Therefore, there is no comparison between the two missiles in terms of range. In fact, even the Agni-2 series missiles have a greater range than Gauri. Looking at the range of the Agni series missiles, Agni-1 has a range of 700-800 kilometers, Agni-2 has a range of over 2000 kilometers, Agni-3 has a range of over 2500 kilometers, Agni-4 has a range of over 3500 kilometers, and Agni-5 has a range exceeding 5000 kilometers
Even Pakistan’s longest-range missile, Shaheen-3, lags far behind Agni-5
There is simply no comparison between Agni-5 and Gauri, also known as Hatf-5. They are worlds apart. Agni-5, with its capability to reach the longest distances in Pakistan, may even outclass the Shaheen-3 missile, which is Pakistan’s longest-range missile. However, it, too, falls short in comparison to Agni-5. Shaheen-3 is a medium-range ballistic missile, while Agni-5 is an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). Shaheen-3 has a range of 2,750 kilometers, whereas Agni-5 boasts a range exceeding 5,000 kilometers. Consequently, Shaheen-3 can be compared to Agni-3 in this regard.
