India on Wednesday test-fired an extended-range BrahMos surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile that can hit targets 400km away, amid military tensions with China in the Ladakh sector, officials familiar with the development said. The range has been increased from the existing 290km. The extended-range variant was tested from the Integrated Test Range at Balasore in Odisha.

The test has cleared the decks for India to induct a second class of supersonic, long-range tactical cruise missiles, propelled by a liquid-fuelled booster capable of hitting targets over 500km away . “The missile featuring an indigenous booster and air-frame section along with many other ‘Made in India’ sub-systems was successfully flight tested for designated range at 1030 hours on Wednesday…It is one more major step in enhancing the indigenous content,” the defence ministry said. The missile was tested for the second time.

The missile cruised at a top speed of Mach 2.8 (nearly three times the speed of sound). The configuration of the existing missile -- the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile -- has been tweaked to enhance its range, the officials said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated scientists for the successful launch, saying the country has achieved “yet another milestone”.