India successfully testfires BrahMos missile

NEW DELHI - India successfully testfired BrahMos stealth supersonic cruise missile Sunday at Pokhran in the western state of Rajasthan which shares international border with Pakistan, sources said.

"The 290-km-range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was testfired at the Pokharan range by the Indian Army. The missile destroyed the preselected target in the field firing ranges in Rajasthan," the sources said.

Indian Army's vice chief Lt Gen Shri Krishna Singh was present during the testfiring of BrahMos which is the world's fastest cruise missile in operation.

BrahMos, which can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land, is a joint venture between India's Defense Research and Development Organization and Russia's NPO Mashinostroeyenia who have together formed the BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.

The missile has already been inducted into the Indian Navy and the Indian Army.

BrahMos missiles give some much-needed teeth to the Indian Army's "pro-active conventional war strategy," which revolves around multiple armoured thrusts by self-contained "battle groups" across the border against Pakistan.