India carries out successful missile collision

BHUBANESWAR (Reuters) - Two nuclear-capable ballistic missiles collided in mid-air off India's eastern coast on Monday in a successful test of an interception programme, a top scientist said.

The collision of the two Prithvi-II missiles occurred over the Bay of Bengal.

"The two missiles had a flight duration of six minutes before they blew up into a ball of fire over the sea after hitting each other," the defence scientist, who did not want to be identified, told Reuters by phone. "It was successful."

The test was done to observe the accuracy and operational effectiveness of short-range Prithvi missiles in providing an air-shield to Indian cities from neighbours Pakistan and China, both of which have arsenals of ballistic missiles.

Monday's test was carried out as Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee held informal talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri, in New Delhi.

On Nov. 19, India successfully test-fired another Prithvi II into the Bay of Bengal.

Reuters India