India tests Nuclear-capable missile that can reach Beijing and much of Europe

By Jatindra Dash

BHUBANESWAR, India, September 12 (Reuters) - powered India to test successfully for a second time a missile with nuclear capability Sunday can reach Beijing and much of Europe, bringing production closer to the passage of a gun designed to strengthen its nuclear deterrent capability.

"The test was successful," said Ravi Kumar Gupta, spokesman for the investigation of defence and Development Organization (DRDO). "Hit the target in a predefined path. It met all the mission objectives"

A video distributed by the DRDO showed the Agni-V rocket taking off from a clearing on an island in the State of the East coast of the India's Orissa's forest.

The India is trying to keep the growing pace of China in military force and wants to have a viable deterrent against its larger nuclear neighbor.

The two countries have generally cordial relations, but they fought a brief war in the Himalayas in 1962 and an accumulation of conventional defenses along their disputed border is a source of tension.

The Agni-V is the most advanced version of the indigenous built Agni or fire, series, part of a program that began in the 1960's. Previous versions could reach old rival Pakistan and Western China.

Nuclear weapons Pakistan is increasing its stockpile of nuclear warheads and the development of the short-range nuclear weapons tactics, raising concern an arms escalation of South Asia, the International Institute for strategic studies, said Thursday.

The Think Tank said in a report that the race with Pakistan increased the risk of a nuclear exchange during a conventional conflict, perhaps caused by an act of terrorism.

The Agni-V missile was first tested in April 2012. It is built mostly in the country and has a range of 5,000 kilometres (3,100 miles). Only the UN Security Council permanent members - China, France, Russia, United States and Great Britain - along with Israel, are believed to have such long-range weapons.

Gupta said that India was now ready to begin a process of production and subsequent induction of the missile. (Written by Anurag Kotoky in new DELHI; Edition of Frank Jack Daniel and Robert Birsel)

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