India Successfully Test-fires Interceptor Missile

India successfully test-fired an interceptor missile off the coast in its eastern sate of Odisha, officials said Monday.

The missile test was carried out Sunday night from Abdul Kalam Island of the integrated test range (ITR).

"We have achieved a major milestone in developing a two-layer ballistic missile defence system," an official was quoted as saying by PTI. "The Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) mission is for engaging the targets in the exo-atmosphere region at an altitude above 50 km of the earth's atmosphere."

India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials said both the PDV interceptor and the target missile were successfully engaged.

"In an automated operation, radar-based detection and tracking system detected and tracked the enemy's ballistic missile," officials added.

I Interceptor was successfully test fired last from the same base on February 11, 2017.