Scientists in India have successfully test fired its most advanced long range missile, Agni-4 from Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha.

The long range missile was test fired under the project headed by Ms Tessy Thomas. She is the first woman scientist in the country to be the head of a large missile project. The team under Ms Thomas prepared and integrated the missile system and launched it from a road mobile system from Wheeler Island.

Agni-4 reached a height of about 900 km before it landed at the pre-designated target in the Bay of Bengal. The intermediate range ballistic missile is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warhead and can reach over 3,000 km.

"All mission objectives were fully met. The systems functioned perfectly till the end encountering the re-entry temperatures of more than 3000 degree Centigrade,” read an official release.

The new missile will add lot of strength to the strategic deterrence capability of the country, according to Mr. Avinash Chander, Chief Controller missiles and strategic systems of the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

The first test of the Agni-4 missile had failed last year as the missile went off track after launch and fell into the Bay of Bengal.