India's nuclear-capable Prithvi-II ballistic missile failed to take off during a test Friday due to a technical problem, news reports said. A snag either in the main missile or the sub-system, was a reason for this Indian defence sources a foreign television channel reported. There was some noise and smoke during the attempted blast-off, the sources said.
The cause of the failure was being investigated, they added. The Prithvi-II has a range of 350 kilometers and is capable of carrying a payload of 500 kilograms.