BHUBANESWAR, India - India successfully tested two short-range nuclear-capable missiles from two sites off its eastern coast on March 27, a Defence Ministry official said.India, which tested nuclear weapons in 1998, has developed a series of nuclear and conventional missile systems as part of a program begun in 1983.
Saturday's first test was the launch of the Dhanush, which has a range of 220 miles (350 kilometers) and was fired from a naval ship in the Bay of Bengal off the shores of the state of Orissa.
The second missile was the Prithvi (Earth)-II, launched from Chandipur-on-Sea Integrated Test Range, 200 kilometers northeast of Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa.
"The tests were successful and met all the mission objectives," said S.P. Dash, director of the Integrated Test Range.
The Dhanush, which means bow in Hindi, is a variant of the ground-to-ground Prithvi missile developed for the Indian Navy.
Both variants can carry nuclear and conventional warheads and have been developed at home.
The 28-foot (8.5-meter) Prithvi-II missile has a range of 150-350 kilometers and can carry a one-ton payload.
Last month, India announced it would test a nuclear-capable missile with a range of over 5,000 kilometers within a year.
India has developed an array of weapons systems for reaching potential targets in neighboring Pakistan and China.
India's current longest-range nuclear-capable missile, Agni-III, can travel a maximum of 3,500 kilometers.
Nuclear-armed Pakistan, with which India has fought three wars since their partition and independence six decades ago, has said India's missile development program could trigger a new arms race in the region.
From: DEFENSE NEWS
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