India successfully test fires nuclear capable missile

India has successfully test launched a nuclear capable ballistic missile, Prithvi 11, in the eastern state of Odisha, the Ministry of Defence stated Tuesday. The ministry said the ballistic missile was launched from the test range at Chandipur, off the Odisha Coast, adding, the launch was flawless and achieved all its targeting and technical parameters set out for the exercise. "The launch was conducted as a culmination to a strategic training exercise. The aim of this exercise was to validate our readiness by undertaking launches in various contingencies," India's elite Strategic Force Command stated. The ministry said Prithvi missile is being indigenously produced and is equipped with improved high accuracy navigation and manoeuvring system. The battlefield Prithvi-II missile can travel 250 to 350 km and can carry a nuclear warhead weighing 500 to 1,000 kg. It has a flight duration of 483 seconds and a peak altitude of 43.5 km. Other than that, the missile has features to deceive anti-ballistic missiles and uses an advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring capabilities.