India's most sophisticated short range surface to air missile, was successfully test-fired Thursday from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur near Balasore, east India, ITR sources said.  

The missile, indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), was test-fired from a mobile launcher at 3:20 p.m. (local time).

It hit a moving target dropped from an AN-32 aircraft, the sources said.

The solid fuel propellant missile with nine km range has a triple battlefield role for the army, navy and air force. It could carry a warhead weighing 15 kg.

Thursday's trial was intended to gauge its accuracy and various other parameters.

Trishul, which formed part of India's Guided Missile Development Program, is about three meters in length and 200 cm in diameter. It flies at supersonic speed.

The missile was last test fired from the ITR on June 25, the sources said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2003)