NEW DELHI, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- India successfully test-fired an interceptor missile off the coast in its eastern sate of Odisha, officials said Monday.

The missile test was carried out Sunday night from Abdul Kalam Island of the integrated test range (ITR).

"We have achieved a major milestone in developing a two-layer ballistic missile defence system," an official said. "The Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) mission is for engaging the targets in the exo-atmosphere region at an altitude above 50 km of the earth's atmosphere."

Reports quoting India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials as saying both the PDV interceptor and the target missile were successfully engaged.

"In an automated operation, radar-based detection and tracking system detected and tracked the enemy's ballistic missile," the reports quoted officials as saying.