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Q37 (IAS/2014) Science & Technology › Space & Defence Technology › Missile and weapon systems Official Key

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.

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: A
Explanation

The Agni-IV is indeed a surface-to-surface missile[2], making statement 1 correct.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The Agni-IV is a two-stage, solid-fueled[4] missile, not liquid-fueled[3]. It uses solid propellant for both stages, contrary to the claim that it is fuelled by liquid propellant only.

Statement 3 is also incorrect. The maximum range of the[6] Agni-IV missile is [5]3,000-4,000 km, not 7,500 km as stated. While the missile can carry a 1,000 kg (one-tonne) nuclear[8] warhead, the range specification in statement 3 is significantly overstated—almost double the actual capability.

Therefore, only statement 1 is correct, making option A the right answer.

Sources
  1. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agni-IV
  2. [2] https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/agni-4/
  3. [3] https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/agni-4/
  4. [4] https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/agni-4/
  5. [6] https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/agni-4/
  6. [7] https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/agni-4/
  7. [8] https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/agni-4/
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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. 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 fu…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 10/10
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This is a classic 'Spec-Swap' trap. UPSC took the Agni-IV missile but swapped its features with Prithvi (liquid fuel) and an exaggerated ICBM range. You don't need to be a DRDO scientist, but you must know the 'Big 3' specs (Range, Fuel, Type) for India's flagship strategic assets.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is the Agni-IV missile a surface-to-surface missile?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
""India tests nuclear-capable surface-to-surface Agni-IV missile""
Why this source?
  • The cited text on the Agni-IV page explicitly describes the missile as "surface-to-surface."
  • The Wikipedia entry's citations include news headlines calling it a "surface-to-surface Agni-IV missile."
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"described the Agni-4 as a “sophisticated surface-to-surface missile equipped with modern and compact avionics to provide high level of reliability.”"
Why this source?
  • The CSIS Missile Threat entry quotes DRDO describing the Agni-4 as a "sophisticated surface-to-surface missile."
  • The profile classifies Agni-IV as an intermediate-range ballistic missile, consistent with surface-launched ballistic systems.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 10: Grassroots Democracy — Part 1: Governance > Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam > p. 158
Strength: 4/5
“Born in a humble family in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, in 1931, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was a renowned scientist, nicknamed the 'Missile Man of India' for his crucial role in the development of India's space programme, missile programme and nuclear capabilities. Dr. Abdul Kalam served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. Despite his high status, he remained deeply connected to the people, and the youth in particular, through his passion for good education and innovation. He inspired millions with his humility, dedication to social causes and commitment to the nation. He tirelessly encouraged young Indians to dream big and work hard to achieve their goals.”
Why relevant

Mentions Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as 'Missile Man' tied to development of India's missile programme, indicating a national programme that produced named missiles.

How to extend

A student could use this to locate the Agni series within India's missile programme records (e.g., DRDO/Defence sources) to see their class and launch/target type.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Panchayati Raj and Nagarpalika Acts > p. 745
Strength: 4/5
“Handling Security Issues and Space Tech The Punjab situation was controlled. Rao went in for state elections though there were misgivings. It was for the good as after the 2002 elections, militancy died down. The Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act was passed mainly directed towards eliminating the infiltrators from Pakistan. The modernisation of the defence sector was given importance, and military spending was increased. Prithvi 1 missile was inducted into the army. It is widely believed that it was Narasimha Rao who made sure that India's nuclear programme made progress. Space technology progressed with the successful tests of the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle as well as the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.”
Why relevant

Refers to specific missiles (Prithvi) being inducted into the army, showing India deploys missiles with service-specific roles (army, navy, air force).

How to extend

A student could check whether Agni-IV is listed as inducted to a service branch (army/strategic forces) which commonly operate surface-launched, surface-to-surface ballistic missiles.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Foreign Relations > p. 795
Strength: 3/5
“reached out boldly to both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with the idea of gaining politically and economically. In the long term, India, fighting the threat from cross-border terrorism, was bound to gain from the Gulf monarchies' growing opposition to Islamist terrorism. India joined the Australia Group, which aims to prevent proliferation of biological and chemical weapons, and will ensure a more secure world. With this, India had become a member of three of the four nuclear export control regimes. Earlier, India joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in 2016 and the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) in 2017.”
Why relevant

Notes India joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), linking India to international categorizations and controls of missile types and technologies.

How to extend

A student could consult MTCR/related lists or technical descriptions used by export-control regimes to see how Agni-class missiles are categorised (e.g., surface-to-surface ballistic).

Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Security in the Contemporary World > Security in the Contemporary World 69 > p. 69
Strength: 3/5
“Arms control regulates the acquisition or development of weapons. The Anti-ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty in 1972 tried to stop the United States and Soviet Union from using ballistic missiles as a defensive shield to launch a nuclear attack. While it did allow both countries to deploy a very limited number of defensive systems, it stopped them from large-scale production of those systems. The US and Soviet Union signed a number of other arms control treaties including the Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty II or SALT II and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).”
Why relevant

Discusses ballistic missiles in the context of strategic arms control, providing a definitional context that distinguishes ballistic missiles as a class of strategic, usually surface-launched weapons.

How to extend

A student could use that general definition (ballistic missiles as strategic weapons discussed in arms-control texts) to infer that an 'Agni' named in India's strategic programme might be a ballistic surface-launched missile and then verify platform/trajectory details.

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 23: Pressure Systems and Wind System > Coriolis Effect > p. 308
Strength: 2/5
“• The Coriolis effect is the apparent deflection of objects (such as aeroplanes, wind, missiles, sniper bullets and ocean currents) moving in a straight path relative to the earth's surface.”
Why relevant

Lists 'missiles' among objects affected by the Coriolis effect, implicitly treating missiles as projectiles with defined trajectories subject to Earth-relative forces.

How to extend

A student could use this general physics point to distinguish missile flight profiles (ballistic arc from surface launch vs. air-launched/ship-launched) and then check Agni-IV's launch platform to infer surface-to-surface role.

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