The Indian Air Force test fired a Harpoon missile from a fighter plane for the first time in the Arabian Sea last week.
The missile, built by Boeing was launched on May 22 from a Jaguar maritime strike fighter that flew 200 nautical miles off the west coast to carry out the mission.
An official source confirmed it was the “first live firing” of the Harpoon from a warplane in India after integration by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. “It was successful,” the source added, media reports.
With a range of 124 km, the Harpoon is proficient for land-strike missions too. India has bought a package of 24 Harpoon Block II missiles for its navy and another 22 for the Indian Air Force.
The US is currently the biggest supplier of weapons to the Indian military, with deals worth over $10 billion during the last six years.