Global Security Newswire

India is preparing to conduct on Tuesday another trial launch of its nuclear-ready Agni 2 ballistic missile, the Press Trust of India reported (see GSN, Sept. 30).

The next-generation missile is an improvement over the original Agni 2, as the newer weapon's 1,864-mile reach exceeds that of its predecessor by nearly 50 percent.

An initial test-firing last December of the Agni 2 Prime was unsuccessful.

"We are planning to test-fire an advanced nuclear-capable Agni 2 Prime missile by November 15 from a test range in Odisha," Indian Defense Ministry officials said (Press Trust of India/The Hindu, Nov. 13).

Meanwhile, the Indian military is now fielding a new regiment of short-range BrahMos cruise missiles that can travel at supersonic speeds to precisely hit targets at a maximum distance of approximately 187 miles, the Times of India reported on Thursday (see GSN, Aug. 15). The missile has been modified in some cases to accommodate a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports (Vinod Nayanar, Times of India, Nov. 10).