The Defence Research Development Organisation on Monday said it had successfully test fired its first indigenously designed and developed long-range sub-sonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’ from a test range in Odisha, PTI reported. The organisation had conducted five trials since 2013 before this.

The weapon was launched from Odisha’s Chandipur at 11.44 am, officials said while adding that it can be deployed from multiple platforms. The authorities said the missile has loitering and cruising capabilities at 0.7 Mach at an altitude as low as 100 metres.

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The last successful trial of the weapon was conducted on November 7, 2017. “The missile majestically cruised and covered its given range,” officials told the news agency.

Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal congratulated the organisation on the launch. “Another feather in the cap,” Goyal tweeted. “Congratulations to the scientists and the whole DRDO team. This remarkable feat exemplifies India’s growing defence prowess.”