Friday, February 11 2005 18:51 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: The user trials of the surface-to-air Akash missile and anti-tank guided Nag missile are expected to be completed this year, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, M Natarajan said today (Feb 11, 2005).

"This year our efforts will be to get through Akash and Nag through the user trials," Natarajan, the Director General of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) told reporters at the Aero India air show in Bangalore.

He said the Indian Navy is keen on the nuclear capable, short-range ballistic missile Dhanush for which the weaponisation programme is at an advanced stage.

"Navy is very keen on Dhanush. Already there is a weaponisation programme, which is well advanced. And is already induced as far as we are concerned," Natarajan said.

Asked whether the short-range surface-to-air Trishul missile programme had been shelved, Research centre Imarat Director V K Saraswat said, "Trishul programme is not shelved. We are at an advanced stage of trials for the Indian Air Force (IAF)".

He said all the Armed Forces have the full range of the short-range ballistic missile Prithvi with an outer limit of 350 kms and the nation does not have any plans to have a project with a solid propulsion engine.

Both Saraswat and Natarajan ducked a question on the "Sagarika" missile project, which Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee early this week said was undergoing development by the DRDO. "There is no such project. The Defence Minister was not aware of the project," Natarajan said.

Natarajan said the Defence Ministry was yet to place an order for the Pinaka - 214 mm multiple rocket launch system, which has been developed by DRDO.

"We have given all the inputs to the Defence Ministry, unfortunately the order placement is not in my hand," he said. Natarajan also declined to talk on the status of long-range missile Agni III.