India successfully tested an interceptor missile, which is considered a major milestone in the two-layered Ballistic Missile Defence system, off the coast of Odisha on Saturday. It was launched from Abdul Kalam Island at 7.45 am.

“PDV [Prithvi Defence Vehicle] mission is for engaging the targets in the exo-atmosphere region at an altitude above 50 km of earth’s atmosphere. Both, the PDV interceptor and the two-stage target missile, were successfully engaged,” a Defence Research Development Organisation official told PTI.

The testing was done by developing a hostile ballistic missile and launching it from a ship anchored in the Bay of Bengal. The interceptor missile automatically detected the ballistic missile through a radar-based tracking system and intercepted it. Officials told NDTV that besides India, only the United States possesses an interceptor missile that can detect a hostile missile from as far as 100 km.

The interceptor missile has been developed to counter an incoming ballistic missile. This is a vital defence tool for India since both Pakistan and China have nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated scientists who have developed the missile. “Today our scientists have made a missile that could attack an incoming missile in the sky, only 4-5 countries in the world have done this,” he said. He, however, seized the opportunity to take a dig at the Opposition. “If they [the Opposition] question this feat, they have to travel very high to check its authenticity,” Modi added.

The Congress had subtly questioned the authenticity of the Army’s surgical strikes along the Line of Control on September 29 last year. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal also had demanded footage of the surgical strikes.