The Defence Research and Development Organisation on Friday successfully test-fired the indigenously-developed nuclear-capable ballistic Prithvi-II missile in Odisha, ANI reported. Officials said the surface-to-surface missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur on Friday morning. The missile has features “to deceive anti-ballistic missiles”, a DRDO statement said.

With a capacity to carry 500 kgs to 1,000 kgs of warheads, the missile was randomly chosen from the organisation’s production stock for a strategic force command training exercise. It was monitored by the DRDO’s scientists. “The missile’s trajectory was tracked by the DRDO radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry stations located along the coast of Odisha,” the official told PTI.

In November, 2016, two Prithvi-II missiles were successfully test fired from the same base. The missile was inducted into the Indian Armed forces in 2003 after the organisation developed it under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, the news agency reported.