February 6, 2003	Thursday	Zul Hijjah 4,1423

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NEW DELHI, Feb 5: India plans to test its Agni-III missile with a range of 3000 kms this year, a top defence official was quoted as saying in Bangalore on Wednesday.

“Hopefully, we will test the missile by the end of this year,” Dr V K Aatre, scientific adviser to the defence minister, told reporters at the ‘Aero India 2003’ airshow in the southern Indian city.

Mr Aatre also said India would soon kick off a “subsonic project”. He gave no details.

He was also quoted by Indian news groups as saying that the range of BrahMos, the supersonic missile jointly developed by India and Russia, could be increased from the present 290km.

A shorter Agni missile was tested by India last month and was condemned by Pakistan as demonstrating a “war-mongering mindset”.—J.N.