The Agni-1 missile, which has a range of more than 700
kilometres (430 miles), was fired at 10:15 am (0445 GMT) from an island off the
coast of the eastern state of Orissa, the official said.
"The user trial of the missile passed the requisite
expectations," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Agni -- Sanskrit for "fire" -- is a 12-metre
(39-foot) medium-range ballistic missile that can be fired from mobile
launchers and can carry a one-tonne warhead.
In April, India staged a successful test of Agni-III, its
longest range ballistic missile capable of transporting a nuclear warhead more
than 3,000 kilometres, putting targets deep inside China within its reach.
India, which held nuclear weapons tests in 1998, has
developed a series of nuclear and conventional missile systems as part of a
missile development programme launched in 1983.
The Agni series is one of five developed by India's Defence
Research and Development Organisation. The others are the Prithvi (Earth), the
surface-to-air Trishul (Trident), multi-purpose Akash (Sky), and the anti-tank
Nag (Cobra).
Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan routinely carry out
missile tests, although they normally notify each other in advance.
