PM Modi congratulates scientists on successful missile launch

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated scientists on the successful test-firing of indigenously developed nuclear capable cruise missile ' Nirbhay', saying this meant a "great impetus" to the country's defence capabilities.

"Congratulations to our scientists on the successful test-fire of the Nirbhay missile. This is a great impetus to our defence capabilities," Modi said in his message.

The sub-sonic missile, with a strike range of more than 700 km, was launched from a test range at Chandipur in Odisha. This was the second test of the long-range cruise missile.

The maiden flight, conducted on March 12, 2013, could not achieve all the desired parameters as "the flight had to be terminated midway when deviations were observed from its intended course".

India has in its arsenal the 290 km-range supersonic "BrahMos" cruise missile which has been jointly developed by India and Russia. But 'Nirbhay' with long-range capability is a different kind of missile being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO).