***** "India Tests Nuclear-Capable Missile" *****
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Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Courtesy of: AFP
http://www.afp.com/english/home/

New Delhi (AFP)--India successfully tested its nuclear-capable, short-range Dhanush ballistic missile, defence officials said.

The locally-developed missile, a naval version of the surface-to-surface Prithvi, was tested on Wednesday from a ship in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Orissa State, the Press Trust of India said, quoting official sources.

Dhanush--which means bow in Hindu--has a range of 250-kilometers (156-miles) and carry a payload of 500-kilometers (1,100-pounds).

India, which conducted a series of nuclear tests in 1998, has already developed and deployed two ballistic missiles and a surface missile.

It hopes to cap the programme with a 5,000-kilometer (3,125-miles) range ballistic missile to give it the capability of striking beyond South Asia.

Nuclear-armed rivals, India and Pakistan frequently test-fire missiles, but as part of a slow-moving peace process have agreed to inform each other in advance.