Balasore: For the second time in three days, India successfully test fired the medium range surface-to-air missile 'Akash' from the Interim Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 kms on January 20, according to Defence sources.

The indigenously built sophisticated multi-target missile was test fired from a mobile launcher at 12.25 pm (IST) in bright sunny weather, the sources said.

The 650-kg sleek missile, which has a range of 25 kms and capability to carry a 50- kg pay load, is one of the five under various stages of development by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

A Defence scientist said that the missile would require to undergo few more user's trial to gauge more than 100 parameters of the missile system.

The missile would be ready for induction into the Defence forces by end of the current year, he hoped.

PTI