| India Monday successfully tested an interceptor missile from a defence base in the eastern state of Orissa, news reports said. The Advanced Air Defence missile is part of the multi-layer ballistic missile defence system that India has been developing for over a decade. The test was conducted at two launch sites of the Integrated Test Range off the Orissa coast, defence sources told the PTI news agency. The target, a short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, was fired from a mobile launcher. The interceptor missile launched from 70 kilometres away and destroyed the target over the sea, the officials told PTI. It was the fourth test of the interceptor since 2006. Two of the tests were successful, but the third test in March was said to have failed after the target missile went off course and failed to trigger the interceptors radar. |