India successfully test-fired Dhanush ballistic missile

Surface-to-Surface nuclear-capable Dhanush ballistic missile was successfully test-fired on 9 April 2015 from a naval ship off the Odisha coast.

The missile is a naval variant of India’s indigenously-developed Prithvi missile.

The missile was fired from an Offshore Patrolling Vessel (OPV) of Indian Navy by the Strategic Force Command (SFC).

SFC is a part of India's Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) which is responsible for the management and administration of the country's tactical and strategic nuclear weapons stockpile.

About Dhanush Missile
• Dhanush missile is capable of carrying conventional as well as nuclear payload of 500 to 1000 kilogram and can hit both land and sea-based targets within 350 km range.
• The single-stage, liquid-propelled missile is one of the five missiles developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
• It was developed for the Indian Navy and can be used as an anti-ship weapon and can also destroy land targets depending on the range.