AFP, BHUBANESWAR: India on Monday twice test-fired medium range surface-to-air anti-aircraft missiles within two minutes of each other from a site in the eastern state of Orissa, a defence official said.
One Akash (Sky) missile was fired from a mobile launcher at 3.55 pmin India's Chandipur-on-sea testing site, 200 kilometres (125 miles) northeast of Orissa's state capital Bhubaneswar, the official said.
Another indigenously-built Akash was fired at 3.57 pm (1027 GMT) and successfully hit a target that was air-dropped from a military aircraft, the official added.
Monday's tests of the 650-kilogram (1,430 pound) Akash bring the number of times it has been test-fired so far to eight. It carries a 50 kilogrampound) warhead and is designed to travel 25 kilometres (15 miles).
India's other anti-aircraft missile, the Trishul (Trident), can deliver a 15-kilogram warhead up to nine kilometers.
The Trishul has also been tested eight times and will soon enter mass production.
Both the Akash and Trishul form part of India's ambitions to develop an air defence and assault system that also includes a 5,000-kilometre (3,100-mile) ballistic missile that can transport a one-tonne nuclear warhead.
