India test-fires Agni-II ballistic missile

NEW DELHI - India Thursday successfully test- fired its nuclear capable Agni-II strategic ballistic missile from a military base in Odisha in eastern India, reported Indo-Asian News Service.

The test was conducted from Wheeler's Island in Bhadrak district at 09:00 a.m. by army personnel as part of a training exercise.

"It was a 100 percent success. It was a user trial by army personnel," M.V.K.V. Prasad, director of the Integrated Test Range, was quoted as saying.

India has been test-firing Agni-II missiles several times since 1999 as part of its strategy to upgrade its defense capabilities.

India test-fired Agni V missile in April, boosting the country's rocket accurate hitting capability to over 5,000 km.

The medium-range missile has a range of over 2,000 km and has been already inducted into the army and is part of the Strategic Forces arsenal for nuclear deterrence.

The two-stage missile, equipped with an advanced high-accuracy navigation system and guided by a novel state-of-the-art command and control system, is powered by a solid rocket propellant system.

Defense Research and Development Organization first tested Agni- II in 1999. Since then, it has been tested several times.