New Delhi, July 24
India would carry out one more test of the Agni missile with a range of 700 km prior to its production and induction into the armed forces, Defence Minister George Fernandes told the Rajya Sabha today.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha the Defence Minister asserted that development work of the shorter range Agni-I missile had been completed and the government proposed to go ahead with one more test of the missile before its induction.

To a specific question whether the government proposed to conduct more missile tests in view of a series of tests by Pakistan recently, Mr Fernandes said, “Design, development and test flights of missile systems is a continuous process based on strategic requirements of the Indian armed forces and security requirements of the nation.

The short-range Agni-1 missile was successfully test-fired in January this year and the government has announced that the 2,500 km medium range Agni missile had entered serial production with two Army missile units already set up to be equipped with these strategic missile.

In his answer Mr Fernandes touched upon the development of the entire range of missiles being produced by the DRDO saying that development work on ground to air Trishul and Akash missiles as well as the fourth generation Nag anti-tank missile was expected to be completed by December 2003 and December 2004.

After this, the minister said these missiles would be ready for user trials, serial production and induction. On the Indo-Russian joint venture Brahmos supersonic cruise missile, he said it was likely to enter production phase by the end of 2003 and would be inducted by 2004.