India on Thursday test-fired its surface-to-air nuclear-capable missile, Akash, from a military base in the eastern state of Orissa, news reports said, according to dpa. The multi-target missile, which has a range of 25 kilometres and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead of 50 kilos, was test-fired from a mobile launcher from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipore-on-Sea in Orissa, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported quoting defence sources. Akash, which means "sky" in Hindi, was targeted at a flying object using a Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA) as a support system. The report said the trial had been carried out to fine-tune the missile, although Akash had undergone several tests earlier as part of the country's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGPMD). Indian defence scientists said, with the test the Defence Ministry had revived the Akash missile programme. Previously, the Indian Air Force (IAF) had not been satisfied with the performance of the missile in the tests which led the government to approve a deal for buying ground-to-air missiles from Israel. Over the next 10 days, a number of test firings of the missile would be carried out to pave the way for its induction into the IAF. The 5.6-metre-long, 700-kilogramme missile uses an integral rocket propulsion system and has a low reaction time. It is part of the country's missile development programme, which includes the intermediate range ballistic missile, Agni, surface-to- surface missile, Prithvi, and the anti-tank missile, Nag.
