• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

India not halting Agni-III test-fire due to US pressure

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, May 17, IRNA
India-Agni III-Test-fire

The Indian government rebutted reports that test-firing of its Agni-III missile had been halted due to US pressure, saying the country's strategic weapons program was based on "technical factors" and assessment of the overall security environment.

India's policy is one of responsibility and restraint in pursuing its strategic program and decisions concerning testing of different classes of missiles are based on technical factors and the overall security environment, its Defence and External Affairs spokesman said in identical clarification.

The government clarification comes in the wake of comments by the Defence Research and Development Organization's (DRDO) secretary and the country's top defence scientist, Dr M Natrajan, on Sunday that his organization was "technically ready" to test India's longest- range surface-to-surface missile capable of hitting targets over 3000 kilometers.

2160/2321/1414