NEW DELHI, May 7 (Xinhua) -- India on Wednesday test-fired a 3,500-km range surface-to-surface nuclear capable Agni-III missile from the Wheelers' Island in Balasore off Orissa coast.

    According to the website of local newspaper The Times of India, the missile was launched at local time 9:55 a.m..

    After a flight of roughly 15 minutes, defense scientists confirmed that the test fire was successful and defense sources claimed that the missile meets all parameters.

    This was the third test of this long-range ballistic missile. The first test in 2006 had failed shortly after lift off, the missile plopped into the Bay of Bengal, but the second test carried out on April 12, 2007 was successful.