India to test long-range Agni missile

Wednesday, 31 December 2003, 20:30 IST
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New Delhi, India's defence scientists Wednesday said a new version of the nuclear-capable Agni ballistic missile, with a range of over 3,000 km, would be tested within the next few months. V.K. Aatre, chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and scientific advisor to the defence minister, said Agni III would be tested some time in 2004. "We are slightly behind schedule as we had some technical problem," he said. Two other versions of Agni - that translates into fire in Hindi - with ranges of 700 km and about 2,000 km were being produced and inducted into India's armed forces. The short-range Prithvi ballistic missile and its naval variant Dhanush were also being produced for induction, Aatre told a select group of journalist here. The DRDO also plans to take up some major research and development programmes with Israeli firms. This would include joint production of electronic warfare systems and censors for light combat aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. This would also start some time in 2004, he said.
Source: IANS
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