India launched a surface-to-surface Prithvi missile from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipore-on-sea in the eastern state of Orissa on Sunday, according to defense officials cited by the PTI news agency.
The nuclear-capable missile can travel between 150 and 250 kilometers and carry a payload of up to one ton, including nuclear warheads. Defense officials characterized the launch as part of a national air defense exercise, adding that further tests are planned in the coming weeks.
Two variants of the Prithvi are already operational with the Indian army and air force. A third version, with an extended range of 350 kilometers, remains under development. Earlier in 2006, India's federal cabinet approved a purchase of 54 Prithvi missiles for the air force from state-owned Bharat Dynamics Limited, headquartered in Hyderabad.
The Prithvi holds the distinction of being India's first domestically developed ballistic missile. It is part of a broader integrated missile development program that also includes the Agni intermediate-range ballistic missile, the Akash surface-to-air missile, and the Nag anti-tank missile.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in November 2006, in its own words.