India performs maiden test of sea-based ballistic missile interceptor

India's ambitious ballistic missile defence system achieved success with the first flight test of an endo-atmospheric interceptor missile from a ship in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Odisha.

By engaging and neutralising a hostile ballistic missile threat, the sea-based missile's trial on Friday, according to the defence ministry, placed India into a select group of countries with such a capability.

AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) and other hostile aircraft, as well as approaching long-range nuclear missiles, can be intercepted by BMDs.

The Indian Navy and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) were commended by the defence minister Rajnath Singh for the successful testing of the ship-based ballistic missile defence (BMD) system's capabilities.

"The DRDO and the Indian Navy successfully conducted a maiden flight trial of sea-based endo-atmospheric interceptor missile off the coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal on April 21," the ministry said in a statement.

It claimed that the DRDO had already successfully shown the ability of a land-based BMD system to thwart ballistic missile threats posed by opponents.

"The purpose of the trial was to engage and neutralize a hostile ballistic missile threat thereby elevating India into the elite club of nations having naval BMD capability," it said.

India joinsthe elite club

India has been working to improve its ability to intercept enemy ballistic missiles both inside and outside of the atmosphere of the earth.

The endo-atmospheric missiles are those that function within the earth's atmosphere and have a range of less than 100 kilometres. According to specialists, the exo-atmospheric missiles are capable of completing missions in the uppermost part of the earth's atmosphere.

The range of the missile defence system tested on Friday is not immediately known.

India's phase-II ballistic missile defence interceptor AD-1, which can engage a wide variety of targets, successfully completed its first flight test in November.

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Long-range ballistic missiles and planes can be intercepted by the AD-1 long-range interceptor missile in both "low exo-atmospheric" and "endo-atmospheric" settings.

(With inputs from agencies)

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