The Indian Navy will carry out the maiden test of the long-range Barak-8 surface-to-air missile from INS Kolkata tonight.

Navy spokesperson Captain D K Sharma said the test would take place after midnight.   The Barak-8 missile is being developed in collaboration by India and Israel.

While two tests have been successfully conducted on board Israeli ships, this is the first time that the test would be held on board an Indian one.

The Barak-8 has been designed to defend against a variety of short-to-long-range airborne threats, including fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, drones and projectiles.

It incorporates a state-of-the-art phased array multi-mission radar, two-way data link, and a flexible command and control system that enables it to simultaneously engage multiple targets day and night and in all-weather conditions.