
India successfully tested a supersonic cruise missile from a moving ship for the first time on Thursday, in what officials said was a major boost for the South Asian nation8217;s defence capabilities.
The launch comes at a time of heightened tension between India and Pakistan over last month8217;s Mumbai attacks. Defence officials said the launch had been planned well before the Mumbai attacks.
The Brahmos missile, named after India8217;s Brahmaputra river and Russia8217;s Moscow river, can travel at up to 2.8 times the speed of sound and has a range of 290 km, according to the Defence Research and Development Organisation DRDO.
8220;The launch from a moving frontline naval platform in the Bay of Bengal was very successful and we are thrilled as this is very significant,8221; DRDO official Suranjan Pal told Reuters, adding that the launch took months of planning.
India, which has the world8217;s fourth-largest military, plans to fit the missile in several ships, the DRDO said in a statement.