Pakistan Thursday successfully tested a cruise missile capable of carrying a variety of warheads, including nuclear, the military said.

The Babur Hatf VII missile has a range of 700 km. It was last tested in March.

The missile test was a success that would "consolidate Pakistan's strategic capability and strengthen national security," a military statement said.

The test was meant to validate the design parameters set for the missile, the statement said.

President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz greeted scientists on the test firing and "assured complete support in the development plans of all strategic projects," the statement said.

The Babur Hatf VII is a terrain-hugging, radar avoiding cruise missile.

The missile was first tested in 2005. Since, then its range has been enhanced to 700 km, from 500 km previously.

Pakistan routinely tests various nuclear-capable missiles in its arsenal, believed to be designed mainly to match that of neighboring India. The two countries have agreed to inform each other of such tests in advance.

In February, Pakistan test-fired a new version of its long-range nuclear-capable missile, Hatf VI or Shaheen II, which has a range of 2,000 kilometers.

The two South Asian neighbors carried out tit-for-tat nuclear weapons tests in 1998.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947, but have been holding peace talks since 2004.

(China Daily via agencies July 27, 2007)