November 28, 2002	Thursday	Ramazan 22, 1423

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NEW DELHI, Nov 27: A supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by India and Russia will be ready for military use and commercial production within two years, a top Indian official said on Wednesday.

Tests of the various parameters of the Brahmos missile have been completed and the weapon will be ready for largescale production in two years, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency quoted Shivathanu Pillai, chief executive officer and managing director of the joint venture company, as saying.

The Brahmos has a range of 300 kilometres and can carry a 200-kilogram conventional warhead. It was first test-fired in June last year. Another test of the Brahmos was carried out in April.

The three-ton, eight-metre long missile can be launched from a variety of platforms including ships and aircraft.

The missile was developed by a joint venture company formed in 1998 between India’s Defence Research and Development Organization and Russia’s State Unitary Enterprise NPO Mashinostroyenia.

Pillai said the cost of the missile had still to be decided by India and Russia, considering the demand and market volume.

The precision delivery missile would be improved according to use and applications in different fields, Pillai said.—AFP