Nuclear-capable Dhanush missile successfully test-fired

India successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Dhanush ballistic missile from a naval ship off Odisha coast on Saturday.

"Strategic Forces Command (SFC) successfully tested the Dhanush missile today from a naval ship," said MV K V Prasad, director of the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur near Balasore.

The surface-to-surface Dhanush, a naval variant of India's indigenously developed 'Prithvi' missile, was test fired at around 11.10 am from a location at Bay of Bengal by the SFC of the defence force.

The single-stage, liquid propelled Dhanush has already been inducted into the armed services and is one of the five missiles developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, defence sources said.

"The trial was conducted by the SFC of the Indian defence force in co-operation with DRDO," a defence official said.

Dhanush missile is capable of carrying conventional as well as nuclear payload of 500 to 1,000 kg and hit both land and sea-based targets.

Photograph Courtesy: PIB