India Tests Surface-To-Air Missile

India Tests Surface-To-Air Missile
Tue Jan 13, 8:06 AM ET


NEW DELHI - India tested a medium-range surface-to-air missile Tuesday at a seaside test range, news reports said.

   

"Akash," which means "sky" in Hindi, was tested at the Chandipur-on-Sea test site in the eastern state of Orissa, Press Trust of India reported. The site is 750 miles southeast of New Delhi.


The locally built multi-target missile has a range of 15 miles, the news agency said. It weighs 1,430 pounds and can carry a 110-pound payload, PTI said.


Akash, which was tested several times last year, is one of five types of missiles being developed by the state-owned Defense Research and Development Organization.


Nuclear power India says it needs the weapons to defend itself against Pakistan to the west and China to the north. Both those nations have fought wars with India.


India's missile arsenal includes the short-range ballistic Prithvi, the medium-range Agni, the anti-tank Nag and the supersonic Brahmos.