India test-fires nuclear capable ballistic missile

India on Monday successfully test-fired a nuclear capable ballistic missile named 'Prithvi-II', having a range of 350 kms, said an official statement. The missile was test-fired as a part of user trial by the armed forces from the Integrated Testing Range (ITR) in country's eastern state Orissa. ITR Director S.P. Dash said "The indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile was flight tested at around 8.50 am from a mobile launcher from the Integrated Test Range launch complex-III. The trial, conducted as part of operational exercise, was "fully successful." The sleek missile is handled by the specially raised strategic force command. It has a length of 9 metres and is one metre in diameter. It is propelled by two engines than run on liquid fuel. Prithvi, the first ballistic missile developed under the country's prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), has the capability of carrying 500 kg of warhead. It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory.