09-06-2010, 03:06 PM
NEW DELHI: India successfully tested a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile on Sunday as part of the ongoing trials, to fine-tune its ability to hit targets, an official said. Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan regularly test missiles, and normally only give each other advance notices for long-range launches. It was not immediately clear whether India informed Pakistan ahead of Sunday’s test. The missile was fired from the country’s testing range in Orissa, a defence official said. He said the BrahMos can be used for surgical strikes, such as targeting terrorist training camps. The missile can fly at 2.8 times the speed of sound and can be launched from land, submarines and aircraft. It can carry conventional warheads weighing 620 to 660 pounds. Indian defence research scientists frequently conduct tests of the missile to improve its performance, the official said.