India tests nuclear-capable Agni II missile

AGNI II MISSILE: Soldiers stand beside the Agni II missile during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi.

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Bhubaneswar: India on Tuesday successfully tested the nuclear capable Agni-II missile from a defence base in Orissa, official sources said.

The surface-to-surface missile with a range of over 2,000 km was test fired from the Wheeler's Island near Dhamara in the district of Bhadrak, some 150 km from Bhubaneswar at 1006 hrs IST.

"It was a user trial," the sources said, adding that the aim of the test was to give the Army confidence to fire the missile on its own.

The Agni II missile, which is a part of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, is 20 metres long.

Weighing 16 tonnes, the missile can carry a payload of around 1,000 kg and its range can also be increased to 3,000 km by reducing the pay load.

"It can be fired from both rail and road mobile launchers. It takes only 15 minutes for the missile to be readied for firing," the sources said, adding that the Agni II-version of the Agni series of missiles was first test fired in 1999 from the same location.