India
on 23 November 2013 successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Dhanush
ballistic missile from a naval ship off Odisha coast.
The surface-to-surface Dhanush,
a naval variant of India’s indigenously developed Prithvi missile,
was test fired from a location at Bay of Bengal by the Srategic Force Command
of the defence force.
The single-stage, liquid propelled
Dhanush has already been inducted into the armed services. It is one of the
five missiles developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation
under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.
Dhanush missile is capable of carrying
conventional as well as nuclear payload of 500 to 1000 kg and hit both land and
sea-based targets.