A successful training launch of a Short-Range Ballistic Missile, Prithvi-II was carried out on January 10 from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
Prithvi-II is an indigenously developed Surface-to-Surface Missile Short-Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM). Prithivi-II was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP).
“A well-established system, Prithvi-II missile has been an integral part of India’s nuclear deterrence,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
According to the officials from DRDO, the missile struck its target with high accuracy. The user training launch successfully validated all operational and technical parameters of the missile.
The missile is powered by light propulsion twin engines. Prithivi-II has a range of around 350 km and can carry 500-1,000 kg of warheads.
Prithvi-II was first tested in 1996 and was inducted into the Indian armed forces in 2003. The project IGMDP started in 1982–83 under the leadership of Abdul Kalam who oversaw its ending in 2008 after these strategic missiles were successfully developed.