India on Thursday test-fired a new surface-to-air missile from a defence base off the coast of Odisha. The missile, test-fired at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, was developed in cooperation with Israel, ANI reported.
“The test launch was a grand success and it met all the targets,” an official of the Defence Research and Development Organisation said. The missile, along with a multi-functional surveillance and threat alert radar, or MF-STAR, will “provide users with the capability to neutralise any aerial threats”, the official added.
The district administration, as a preventive measure, had temporarily relocated 3,652 people who lived within 2.5 km of the launch site in Odisha's Balasore district, The Indian Express reported. They also asked fishermen to keep away from waters around the location before the launch.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!