India test-fires nuclear missile in province near Pakistan

New Delhi: India tested its nuclear-capable Brahmos supersonic cruise missile on Tuesday in a province bordering Pakistan, despite already tense relations with Islamabad following the Mumbai terror attacks, a news report said.

India's Defence Minister A.K. Antony said the test was pre-planned and not directed at any country, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

New Delhi and Islamabad regularly test missiles, but normally only give each other prior notice for long-range launches. It was not immediately clear whether India informed Pakistan ahead of Tuesday's test.

Defence Ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.

The Brahmos missile, jointly developed with Russia, can carry 200-kg nuclear warhead and has a maximum range of 290 kilometres.

Tuesday's test was carried out in the western desert state of Rajasthan that borders Pakistan, PTI said.

The missile, which has already been test-fired more than a dozen times, can fly at 2.8 times the speed of sound and can be launched from land, ships, submarines and aircraft.

India's missile arsenal also includes the short-range Prithvi missile, the anti-tank Nag missile, the short-range surface-to-air Trishul missile, and the medium-range Agni missile.