India tested today its most powerful nuclear-capable ballistic missile, which can hit targets as far as China, from a military range off the country's eastern coast, media reports said. The indigenously-made Agni III, which is India's longest-range missile - covering distances up to 3,500 kilometres - was test fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in the eastern Orissa state, the PTI news agency reported. The Defence Ministry was yet to announce whether the test was successful as scientists were validating various parameters of the launch. This was the second launch of the Agni III after an unsuccessful test on July 9, 2006 from the same range. The test had come as a big disappointment for the Indian defence establishment as the projectile failed to separate in its second stage and fell into the Bay of Bengal over 2,000 kilometres short of its designated 3,500 kilometre target. Scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) had since then reconfigured the missile - rectifying a flaw which was found in a defective shield that failed to withstand the heat generated due to friction with air during the flight. -- SPA
