The Strategic Forces Command test-fired Prithvi-II, a surface-to-surface strategic missile, from a mobile launcher in the Integrated Test Range, near Chandipur, in Odisha on Tuesday.
The missile, which can carry a nuclear warhead of 500 kg, lifted off at 9.50 a.m. and covered its full range of 350 km.
Informed sources called the trial “a routine one” and pointed out that the Army had already deployed the missile, which was developed to succeed Prithvi-I, a tactical missile which has been phased out.
The naval version of the Prithvi-II is Dhanush, which can carry a nuclear warhead of 500 kg over 250 km.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation, which developed both Prithvi-II and Dhanush, plans to test-fire the surface-to-surface Agni-IV, another strategic missile with a range of 4,000 km, from the Wheeler Island, off the Odisha coast, on January 20. The Agni-IV, capable of carrying a one-tonne nuclear warhead, has proved to be successful twice so far.