Bloomberg June 23, 2003
India Test-Fires Short-Range Trishul Missile, Press Trust Says
India test-fired a short-range, surface-to-air missile capable of hitting aircraft and anti-ship missiles, the Press Trust of India reported, citing an unidentified military official.
The locally developed Trishul missile, to be built for use by the Indian army, air force and navy, was fired yesterday from a mobile launcher at the military's test range at Chandipur in the eastern state of Orissa, PTI said.
The news agency described the Trishul as the country's most sophisticated short-range missile, with a range of 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) and the ability to carry a 15 kilogram (33 pound) warhead. The naval version is designed to counter Pakistan's Exocet and Harpoon missiles, according to Globalsecurity.org, an Alexandria, Virginia-based defense research group.
The test comes amid peace overtures between India and Pakistan, who have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947. The nuclear-armed countries moved about 1 million troops to their border after a December 2001 terrorist attack on India's parliament. Some troops were withdrawn last year and in recent weeks the two countries agreed to restore transport and diplomatic links.
Copyright © 2003, Bloomberg L.P.
