Bangalore: India has begun integrating the 3,000 km range Agni III Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) with an aim to test the missile this year, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister V K Aatre said today (June 4, 2004).

"We have started integrating it (Agni III). In this kind of high-end technologies, it is very difficult for me to indicate a time. We are at it, we are still a few months away," Aatre told reporters in Bangalore.

"It is certainly not in the next three months... I am planning to do it (this year), I can't be certain of it," he said.

"I need three months clearance once I finish all the tests (on the missile). At present, we have not finished the tests," Aatre, the Director General of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), said.

He said the Agni III missile would have a range of over 3,000 kms.

India, Aatre said, had gained expertise to build longer range of Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) with the development of the Agni series of missiles.

"Once you have mastered the kind of technologies for Agni I, Agni II and Agni III missiles, for a longer range of missiles, there are no new technologies...we have all the technologies, it (ICBM) needs a larger engine, longer burning time, improvement in the guidance system among others," he said.

"It is not a question of whether we can build an ICBM or not, but whether we want to build an ICBM, which I am not going to talk about," Aatre said.

He said the Agni I and Agni II missiles are under induction in the Armed Forces.

Aatre said the DRDO would conduct user trials of the anti-tank Nag missile and short-range surface to air missile Akash this year.

The DRDO, he said, had improvised the quicker surface to air missile Trishul over the last one and half years and was gearing up for user trials with the armed forces.

Aatre said Trishul was put on the R&D mode after it initially failed to satisfy user requirements.