India test-fired its indigenous nuclear-capable Agni-I ballistic missile from the Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast on Tuesday morning, ANI reported. The test was successfully conducted by the Indian Army’s Strategic Force Command at 8.30 am.

The missile, with a 700-km range, was test-fired from a launch pad of the Integrated Test Range at Abdul Kalam Island in Balasore, IANS reported.

This was the 18th version of Agni-I since it was inducted into service in 2004, unidentified sources told the agency. It is a surface-to-surface, single-stage missile, powered by solid propellants, and was launched as part of a regular training exercise by the Army.

The Agni-I missile reportedly has a specialised navigation system which ensures it reaches the target with a high degree of accuracy and precision.

India currently has the Agni-I (700-km range), Agni-II (2,000-km range), Agni-III and Agni-IV (over 3,500-km range), and the supersonic Brahmos missiles. It tested an Agni-V on January 18.

China tests missile interceptor

China’s Defence Ministry on Tuesday announced it had successfully tested an anti-missile intercept system.

A ground-based interceptor missile was used to knock out a ballistic missile that was mid-flight, the South China Morning Post reported. The test was conducted on Monday, within China and was “not targeted against any country”, the ministry said in a statement. The country did not divulge any other details.

The test comes as tensions over North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missiles programme increase. Beijing has also been on edge about the United States deploying its interceptor missiles in South Korea to combat missile attacks from North Korea, Reuters reported.