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| India-Pakistan |
| Australia backs Indian missile test |
| 2006-07-10 |
| Describing India as a 'good international citizen' on nuclear matters, Australia on Monday said the test firing of Agni-III missile should not be equated with the 'provocative' missile launches by North Korea recently. It also asked India and Pakistan to exercise restraint in their ballistic missile programme and continue the process of building confidence between the two countries. "India, while not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, has been a good international citizen on nuclear matters, unlike North Korea," the country's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said. India had on Sunday test-fired its most advanced intermediate range ballistic missile Agni-III but it developed a technical fault and failed to hit the target. North Korea had last Wednesday fired seven missiles, including a new long-range Taepodong-2, which quickly crashed into the Sea of Japan (East Sea). Australia stressed that India's missile firing was very different from North Korea's decision last week to test seven missiles, earning it international condemnation. "It's important not to equate this test with North Korea's recent missile tests," he was quoted by a media report as saying. "North Korea has been a leading supplier of missile-related exports to countries seeking to acquire ballistic missile capabilities. India, in contrast, has undertaken to implement missile export controls equivalent to the missile technology control regime," he said. |
| Posted by:john |
| #2 "Don't worry, mates, we've got your back." |
| Posted by: Mike 2006-07-10 20:29 |
| #1 India's top defence scientists were on Monday probing the snag that caused the nuclear capable intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) Agni-III to crash into the sea well short of its intended 3,000 km range. "Data from the launch pad and from the tracking stations is being minutely examined. While it would be too early to hazard a guess as to what went wrong, it would seem that a design defect prevented the second stage from separating," a defence ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Because of this, the missile couldn't maintain its intended trajectory and could stay aloft for only five minutes instead of the 15 minutes it was intended to," the official explained. "Since this was the first time the missile was being tested there was every possibility of glitches developing. Once these are ironed out, another flight could be contemplated," the official added, not wanting to hazard a guess as to when the next flight could take place. Agni-III, India's longest range missile yet which is capable of reaching targets in China, was test fired at 11:03 am from the Wheeler Island facility off the Orissa coast on Sunday. It rose to a height of 12 km before it came crashing into the Bay of Bengal, 1,000 km from the launch site. Agni-III, which has a range between 3,500 and 5,000 km, features two solid-fuelled stages and has an overall diameter of 1.8 metres. It can be deployed from rail or road mobile launch vehicles and from silos. It is equipped with inertial guidance systems with improved optical or radar terminal phase correlation systems that gives it a high degree of accuracy. Agni-I, with a range of 700-800 km, and Agni-II, with a 2,000-km range, have already been inducted in the Indian Army. |
| Posted by: john 2006-07-10 15:12 |