India successfully test-fires surface-to-surface BrahMos supersonic cruise missile

India has successfully test-fired surface to surface supersonic cruise missile BrahMos in Andaman and Nicobar. The extended range missile hit its target with pinpoint accuracy, as reported by news agency ANI.

The extended range missile test firing was witnessed by Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and other defence officials who congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on the successful test-firing of BrahMos missile.

"Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari congratulated on the successful test-firing of surface-to-surface BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. He is in the Island territory of Andaman & Nicobar to review operational preparedness," said Defence officials as quoted by ANI.

The range of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles had recently been extended to 500 km by simply upgrading the software. No changes were made to the missile.

BrahMos was recently in a controversy after a missile was misfired due to a technical malfunction from an Indian Air Force unit during a Command Air Staff Inspection (CASI).

The missile landed in Pakistani territory, causing little damage to property and equipment and no harm to people. Following the incident, India sent a letter to Pakistani authorities expressing its deep regret for the incident, as well as issuing a statement.

The BrahMos missile has been developed in collaboration with Russia. These missiles fly at three times the speed of sound i.e. 2.8 Mach (Mach number is the ratio of an object's speed in a given medium to the speed of sound in that medium). It can also dodge the radar. Earlier its range was 290 km, which was increased to 350-400 km.