New Delhi: India has continued its march towards attaining an effective nuclear triad capability by testing a longer version of an underwater nuclear-capable ballistic missile. The missile range is believed to have been over 2,000 km in the test conducted on Monday from an under-water platform in the Bay of Bengal.
The DRDO refused to comment on the matter but according to reports, the test was successful. This is the longest-range underwater missile to have been developed so far by India.
India will attain the nuclear triad capability when it has the capability to fire a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from its indigenous nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant which is yet to be made operational. Sources said that weapon trials from INS Arihant have not begun as yet.
India has so far been conducting tests of a 700 km-range SLBM from under-water pontoons. The nuclear triad refers to the capability to launch nuclear weapons from land, air and sea. India already had the ability to launch nuclear weapons from land and air.
