The domestically developed Dhanus (Bow) missile, with a strike-range of 250 kilometres (155 miles), was fired from the Indian Naval Ship Subhadra in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Orissa, a defence spokesman said.

The Dhanus is a naval variant of India's surface-to-surface Prithvi (Earth) missile.

The missile, 8.56 meters (28 feet) long and one metre (3.2 feet) wide, can carry a 500 kilogram (1,100 pound) conventional or nuclear warhead. It uses liquid propellants and has a launch weight of 4,600 kilograms (10,000 pounds).

On Thursday, India successfully tested an air-to-air missile for the third time in four days, defence officials said.

India's nuclear rival, Pakistan, tested its own nuclear-capable radar-dodging cruise missile Hatf VII Babur with a range of 700 kilometres (435 miles) on March 22.

Dhanus is part of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) begun in 1983 to develop and produce a wide range of missiles for surface-to-surface and surface-to-air roles.

The Prithvi was the first missile developed as part of programme.

The Dhanus test came a week after neighbouring Pakistan test-fired a nuclear-capable radar-dodging cruise missile with a range of 700 kilometres.

The neighbours have routinely conducted missile tests since carrying out tit-for-tat nuclear blasts in May 1998.

Tensions between the rivals have eased since 2004 when they launched a peace process aimed at ending six decades of hostility and resolving their dispute over the Himalayan territory of Kashmir, the cause of two of their three wars.

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