NEW DELHI, Feb 3: India on Friday announced it had completed all tests and was ready to deploy its latest nuclear-tipped missile, capable of striking targets at a distance of 3,000 kilometres.

“All technical parameters for the launch of the missile have been completed,” a government spokesman announced at a news conference in New Delhi.

“We are ready for the launch today... it is now for political leadership to give the nod,” the official said of the Indian-built missile, Agni-III.

Agni-III is the longest range missile of its type and can carry a one-ton nuclear warhead.

Mr Natarajan, who heads the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), said scientists were also trying to develop a 1,000-kilometre range cruise missile.

The chief scientist also announced that a naval variant of the 300-kilometre range BrahMos cruise missile, which has been jointly developed by India and Russia, was ready for deployment.—AFP