India’s ballistic missile defence test a “milestone”: Dr Saraswat

Bhubaneswar: In a clear indicator that the programme to develop an indigenous ballistic missile defence system is rapidly maturing, India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Sunday successfully tested a ballistic missile interception from its missile test facilities in the state of Orissa.

The 'interceptor' missile was fired from Wheeler Island off the Orissa coast near Dhamra in Bhadrak district, about 170km from here at 9.37am which successfully intercepted an incoming hostile missile fired five minutes earlier.

The 'hostile' missile was a specially modified Prithvi missile, fired from the Launch Complex III of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea in Balasore district, about 70km away from Wheeler Island across the sea.

The incoming ''enemy'' ballistic missile was intercepted at an altitude of 16 km and was destroyed through ''a direct kill.''

The interceptor had a specially designed 'directional warhead'.

According to Dr VK Saraswat, director general, DRDO, and also scientific advisor to the defence minister, the interception ''had a copybook terminal homing, taking the interceptor very close to the incoming ballistic missile.''