BrahMos, Uran missiles successfully test fired from Andaman islands, informs Indian Navy

India conducted two successful anti-ship missile tests from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Indian Navy informed via Twitter on February 2. Fired by the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), the two missiles were BrahMos and Uran and were launched from the Indian Navy's guided-missile corvette. According to the Navy, the land-based BrahMos and ship-launched Uran were successful in hitting their respective targets with devastating impact.

The ANC even released a video clip of the launch on Twitter featuring the two anti-ship weapons. Successful launch of Brahmos & Uran antiship missiles by ANC Naval component further validates capabilities for defence of our islands", read the ANC's caption. It further congratulated those who were involved in bidding adieu to the exNaval ship LCU38.

India's second BrahMos test-fire in two weeks

The latest test-fire comes just a week after the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was fired off the coast of Odisha in Balasore on January 20. Being developed under the collaboration of BrahMos Aerospace and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia, the BrahMos cruise missile system can be launched from air, sea or land and comes with variants for anti-ship and land-attack roles with nuclear warheads. The test from Odisha's Balasore followed the one conducted off the western coast in Vishakhapatnam, from an Indian Navy destroyer. According to the officials, this missile was equipped with new technological developments which were proven successful during the tests. 

The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile can cover a range of 290 km, reaching the Mach 2.8 to 3 Mach speed. Meanwhile, the BrahMos - II Hypersonic cruise missile can be deployed to hit the target within a range of 450 – 600 km in a Mach 7 velocity. India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has already stated that India needs to develop nuclear deterrence however he clarified that the aim to manufacture missiles is not to attack anyone but ensure the country’s safety.