India tests missile interceptor

Prithvi missile can carry conventional nuclear warheads

India has used a medium-range nuclear -capable missile to intercept another in an air defence test, say officials.

The tests saw a Prithvi-II missile shot down over the Bay of Bengal by a similar missile fired a minute later.

This is the first co-ordinated test involving the indigenously-developed surface-to-surface missile.

India first tested Prithvi-II on 19 November, three days after a missile test by Pakistan. Both the countries routinely carry out missile tests.

'Successful'

A defence spokesman said the twin tests were carried out at 1015 local time (0445 GMT).

The Associated Press news agency quoted an unnamed official as saying that the first "attacker" missile was launched from Chandipur in the eastern state of Orissa and a minute later, the "defender" missile was fired from the Wheeler's Island testing centre.

A spokesperson for India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) told the BBC the tests were "successful".

He said the missiles intersected each other in mid-air about 70 nautical kilometres from the coast and then fell into the Bay of Bengal as programmed.

The official said "the test was carried out to validate the interception time of the missile".

But Rahul Bedi of Jane's Defence Weekly said India is still a very long way from developing an effective missile interception system.

"It's not easy, India is light years away from developing anything like the American Patriot missile defence system which is designed to detect and destroy incoming missiles," he told the BBC.

Thousands evacuated

Monday's test should have taken place on Sunday, but was postponed because of a technical snag.

Defence authorities evacuated 2,700 people living near the site of the test as a precautionary measure on both days. They were allowed to return to their homes on Sunday night.

Prithvi-II is one of five missiles being developed by the DRDO as part of its Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.

The 8.5m (28-ft) surface-to-surface missile covers 150km (90 miles) in 300 seconds, has a range of up to 250km and can carry conventional nuclear warheads.

The missile was launched on 19 November from Chandipur as part of an air defence exercise, and defence officials said more trials were expected in the coming weeks.

The test came three days after a missile was tested by Pakistan.

India and Pakistan routinely carry out missile tests, but relations between the two have improved since a peace process began in 2004.

The two neighbours recently announced they would prepare a deal to limit the risk of an inadvertent nuclear conflict.

The two countries were on the brink of war after India blamed Pakistan for involvement in an armed attack on parliament in Delhi in 2001.