India tests nuclear capable missile

India has successfully test-fired a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The nuclear-capable missile is believed to be India's most advanced ICBM. It was fired Thursday morning India time. It was fired from Abdul Kalam island off the coast of India. The country's Defense Ministry called the test a "major boost" to the country's defense capabilities. India is believed to have around 120 to 130 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, according to the Federation of American Scientists, compared to several thousand for the US. It's possible India's armed forces were testing the canister the missile is launched out of, as well as its ejection, flight performance and accuracy. That launch drew the ire of India's two most important geostrategic adversaries: Pakistan and China. Those countries would be concerned that the missiles could be used to strike against "high value targets" in eastern China, where much of the country's major cities and population is based. The United States, Russia, China and North Korea all reportedly test-fired ballistic missiles in 2017, though Pyongyang is officially barred from doing so under United Nations sanctions.

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