India successfully test-fires interceptor missile

NEW DELHI - India Friday successfully test- fired a home-made supersonic interceptor missile off the coast of the eastern state of Odisha, reliable sources here said.

"The missile successfully intercepted a surface-to-surface target missile -- a modified version of 'Prithvi' missile -- which was fired first around 10:30 am from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur," the sources said.

The testfiring was part of India's plan to deploy a reliable two-layer ballistic missile defense system.

India last year conducted a successful test of its ballistic missile defense system when it destroyed an "enemy" ballistic missile with an interceptor missile over the Bay of Bengal off Orissa coast.