India successfully tested on Sunday a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile as part of ongoing trials to fine-tune its ability to hit targets, an official said. Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan regularly test missiles, and normally only give each other advance notice for long-range launches.
It was not immediately clear whether India informed Pakistan ahead of Sunday's test. The missile was fired from the country's testing range in the eastern state of Orissa, a defence official said. He said the BrahMos can be used for surgical strikes, such as targeting terrorist training camps or underground bunkers. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
The missile can fly at 2.8 times the speed of sound and can be launched from land, ships, submarines and aircraft. It can carry conventional warheads weighing 620 to 660 pounds (280 to 300 kilograms) and has a maximum range of 180 miles (290 kilometers).
The BrahMos, jointly developed by India and Russia, has already been deployed by one army battalion. However, Indian defence research scientists frequently conduct tests of the missile to improve its performance, including its ability to hit targets, the official said. The BrahMos is named after India's Brahmaputra and Russia's Moskva rivers.
India's missile arsenal also includes the short-range Prithvi missile, the anti-tank Nag missile, the short-range surface-to-air Trishul missile, and the medium-range Agni missile.
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