Any failure in the launch of the missile, which has a range of 3,000 km, 'would be a great setback to defence scientists', he added.
Delhi's refusal to beat its chest is part of its recent pragmatic approach to foreign and security affairs, says Jyoti Malhotra
India's Defence R&D Organisation has announced that it would conduct a full-scale test of a two-stage anti-ballistic missile system by June 2008.
The Information Ministry also said Paksitan has a right to launch a pre-emptive strike if India thinks the same way.
The first test firing of the surface-to-surface missile with a range of over 3,000 km ended in failure on July 9 when, after a smooth take off, it plunged into the sea far short of its intended target.
The parade was seen as a muscle-flexing exercise by Beijing.
The Generation-next hypersonic inter-continental ballistic missile is capable of dodging any future missile shield.
In Ahmedabad to promote tourism in the island nation, Fernando said China has made a lot of investment in Sri Lanka and has been 'understanding its requirements in the past'.
Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta on Monday said India should have "credible minimum deterrence" keeping in view its neighbourhood.
US Under Secretary Victoria Nuland, who met Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, raised concerns about the upcoming visit of the Chinese research vessel 'SHI YAN 6'
The nuclear-tipped Agni-III has all cities in both Pakistan and China, including Beijing, within its striking range and will be India's second strike deterrent.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, who is on a three-day visit to China, has warned that North Korea could attack the United States with an intercontinental ballistic missile within five years, adding that the country "is becoming a direct threat to America" with its efforts to expand its nuclear program.
Satellite imagery, passed to The Daily Telegraph, reportedly shows that a substantial harbour has been built, which could house a score of nuclear ballistic missile submarines and a host of aircraft carriers. The daily reported that one photograph shows China's latest 094 nuclear submarine at the base just a few hundred miles from its neighbours. Other images show numerous warships moored to long jetties and a network of underground tunnels at the Sanya base at Hainan Island.
India is on a shopping spree at the Farnborough Air Show in England
The satellite used in the mission was one of India's existing satellites operating in lower orbit.
'So far, Pakistan leads India in subsonic cruise missile development, having tested and operationally deployed the Babur cruise missile that has a range of 700 km, significantly less than the Nirbhay's.'
The INS Chakra III will be ideal for 'sea denial' missions, in which the submarine denies the enemy the use of the sea.
China's anti-satellite missile may be targetted at the US now, but it can easily be turned on India.
At a cursory look, the development of a new strategic submarine by China appear to be of marginal impact on India as Sanya base is far away from Indian shores and as such ground-based missiles in China could be deployed in the event of skirmishes between the two rising countries in Asia. Besides, the avowed aim in developing the new Jin SSBN is not to target India but the United States, in the Chinese quest to become a great power in the world.
Joint Chief of Staff Committee Chairman Gen Ahsanul Haq has said Pakistan is self-sufficient.
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Russia, defence ministry's top acquisition council on Thursday cleared the purchase of an estimated Rs 40,000 crore Russian S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems, besides giving the go-ahead to other projects worth over Rs 25,000 crore.
With cruise missile and air strikes being India's most likely response to a hypothetical Pakistani terrorist outrage in the future, retaliation from the Pakistan air force is inevitable. That is where the S-400 will come into play, says Ajai Shukla.
However, Bush will not want to be seen as leaving the White House having allowed Iran to go nuclear.
With Intelligence inputs warning of a possible aerial terror attack, Defence Minister A K Antony today said the armed forces were ready to take on any future threats against the country. "We are ready for any eventuality," Antony told reporters while replying to a question on the sidelines of a function to honour war widows in New Delhi.
'It couldn't have been otherwise. Libya lacked a sophisticated scientific infrastructure,' an Israeli intelligence source said.
The state electoral rolls can be revised only by the end of January, he told NDTV 24X7.
The successful launch came after three previous unsuccessful tests.
Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran firmly ruled out any change in borders.
As 2008 draws near, very few educated people can still be unaware of the rising economic and strategic power of Asia.
The launch of the intermediate range ballistic missile Agni-III should be seen as a stepping stone in pushing the country towards further advances in military technology, the defence minister said.
The broader NSE Nifty slipped 8.95 points or 0.09 per cent to end at 10,361.30
Taipei on Friday termed China's military exercises around the island nation 'highly provocative' after some Chinese aircraft and warships crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait.
'The world may be desirous of peace, but not Kim Jong-un.' 'Should we then accept the old adage that to maintain peace, we should be prepared for war?' asks Rajaram Panda.
Even without a sanctioned government project for the Agni-6, it seems inevitable that the Agni-5, over the next few years, will organically evolve into an ICBM with improved technologies and capabilities.
Describing the trial a "complete success", sources said that all the mission objectives were met during the test.
He said the country now possesses the capability to strike satellites in outer space with centimetre-level accuracy and precision.
