Global Security Newswire

India's latest test-launch of its nuclear-capable Agni 2 missile technology was said to have ended in failure, the Xinhua News Agency reported today (see GSN, Nov. 23).

"The first night test firing yesterday from Orissa's Wheeler's Island 10 kilometers from Balasore inside the Bay of Bengal failed," said an Indian Defense Ministry source. "This was for the first time, a missile was test-fired at night. But the test failed to meet many of the required parameters."

There were no troubles with the missile launch and first-stage separation. However, problems developed ahead of the separation of the second stage and the missile then went off-course, the Times of India reported (Xinhua News Agency, Nov. 24).

India has conducted multiple daytime tests of the missile, which is designed to fly up to 1,560 miles, Agence France-Presse reported.

"We will be examining the data gathered to see what went wrong," a Defense Ministry source said (Agence France-Presse/RTE News, Nov. 24).