India has most powerful Agni-5, Agni-6, Prithvi, Brahmos missiles but can China’s air defence systems intercept Indian missiles, experts say…

Can China intercept the powerful missiles of India including Agni-5, Agni-6, Prithvi, Brahmos missiles. Scroll down to know more.

Written by: Abhijeet Sen Edited by: Abhijeet Sen

Published: August 25, 2025, 7:47 PM IST

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India Agni-5 missile test

India vs China: India recently tested the Agni-5 missile capable of striking deep inside China and carrying nuclear warheads. With a massive range of 5,500 km and advanced MIRV technology, the missile allows India to hit multiple targets with a single missile. In addition to this, India has also been steadily strengthening its missile arsenal with the Agni-6 missile (under development), Prithvi series and BrahMos, giving it strike capabilities across Pakistan and deep into China. However, the question is, does China have the air defence capabilities to intercept the missiles of India.

How powerful is India’s Agni-5 missile?

In a significant boost to India’s strategic defence arsenal, India successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable Agni-5 intermediate-range ballistic missile from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Odisha’s Chandipur, a report from IANS news agency said quoting the Ministry of Defence.

Why is Agni-5 missile important for India?

The Agni-5 missile is a cornerstone of India’s nuclear deterrent. This missile is equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. This technology allows the missile to carry and deploy multiple nuclear warheads across different targets, that too in a single launch.

Story highlights:

1. India recently tested the Agni-5 missile capable of striking deep inside China.
2. It is also developing the Agni-6 missile along with Prithvi series and BrahMos missiles.
3. The questions is whether China can intercept these missiles of China.
4. As per experts, there are less chances that China’s air defence systems like HQ-9, HQ-19, DN-3 and SC-19 will not be able to intercept Indian missiles.

Can China intercept India’s missile?

Talking about China’s air defence system, China has modernized its military rapidly and developed air and missile defense systems like HQ-9, HQ-19, DN-3 and SC-19. Designed to intercept ballistic missiles, the systems have limited reliability as per experts. For instance, China’s HQ-9 could not stop BrahMos-class missiles in Pakistan, while outer-atmosphere interceptors like HQ-19 or DN-3 are still unproven against high-speed ICBMs.

(With inputs from agencies)