India successfully test fires nuclear capable strategic missile

MUMBAI -- India on Tuesday test-fired its nuclear capable strategic missile Agni-4 from a test range off eastern state of Odisha's coast.

Supported by a mobile launcher, the sleek missile was flight tested from the launch complex-4 of Integrated Test Range at Wheeler Island, at about 10:20 a.m. local time, local media reported.

The test conducted by the specially formed Strategic Force Command was successful, Ravi Kumar Gupta, director of the Directorate of Public Interface, Defence Research and Development Organisation, was quoted as saying.

The sophisticated surface-to-surface missile is equipped with modern and compact avionics to provide high level of reliability, sources said.

According to media reports, the Agni-4 missile is equipped with state of the art Avionics, 5th generation On Board Computer and distributed architecture, and has the latest features to correct and guide itself for in-flight disturbances.

The accurate Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System and highly reliable redundant Micro Navigation System ensures the vehicle reach the target within two-digit accuracy, the reports said.

This is the second test of the missile this year. It was successfully tested from the same place on Jan. 20.