Indian strategic forces have successfully tested a nuclear-capable Agni A-I short-range ballistic missile, India's Defense Ministry said Friday.

A system that would enable it to launch ballistic missiles from submarines was tested in India. India has tested systems that would enable it to launch ballistic missiles from submarines, officials said Tuesday, a move that boosts the country's nuclear deterrence capabilities.

Russia has made a decision to start serial production of its new Bulava-M sea-launched ballistic missile, following a successful test launch in late June, the Russian Navy commander said Sunday.

The Russian space Forces said that Russia had test-launched new intercontinental ballistic missile Tuesday capable of carrying multiple independent warheads.

A number of Asian nations are not content with being economic powerhouses - they have become serious contenders in the race to control space. From VOA's Asia News Center in Hong Kong, Claudia Blume reports that Japan, China and India are the main contenders in Asia's race to the stars.

Japan's Defense minister said Tuesday that Japan and the U.S. would boost research into missile interception technology to guard against new ballistic missile reported to be developed in North Korea.

Former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn has dedicated much of his career to reducing global threats from weapons of mass destruction. He is currently the co-chairman of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a private group working to decrease such threats worldwide. In an interview with VOA, Nunn expressed concern that the risk of such an attack is growing, as we hear in this report from correspondent Meredith Buel in Washington.

India test fired Thursday a new missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads across much of Asia and the Middle East, an official said. An earlier test firing of the Agni III missile last July had failed when it plunged into the Bay of Bengal short of its target.

The aerospace and defense industry publication, Aviation Week, reports new U.S. intelligence findings that China is stepping up its tests of medium and long-range ballistic missiles. The report comes in the issue of the magazine dated Monday. VOA's Stephanie Ho reports from Washington.

Pakistan's military says it has test-fired a short-range ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads. The military described the test of the surface-to-surface Abdali missile as a success, but gave no details about where it was carried out.