22 February 2005	Tuesday	12 Muharram 1426

BHUBANESWAR, Feb 21: India successfully test-fired a medium range surface-to-air missile on Monday from a range on an island off the coast of the eastern state of Orissa, defence sources said.

The home-grown missile named Akash (sky in Hindi) was fired from a mobile launcher on Monday afternoon at the Chandipur-on-Sea testing site, 200km north east of Bhubaneswar, Orissa's state capital.

It successfully hit a pilot less target aircraft, a defence source said. The 700kg Akash can carry a 70kg warhead and is designed to travel 27 kilometres (17 miles).

On Nov 30 last year, the same missile was tested with a live warhead. Akash is one of five missiles being developed by India's state-run Defence Research and Development Organization. - AFP