India fired a ballistic missile from its first nuclear submarine INS Arihant, with the projectile hitting the target area in the Bay of Bengal with very high accuracy, the Indian defense ministry said on Friday.

The successful launch of the Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) by INS Arihant is ''significant to prove crew competency and validate'' ballistic missiles which is ''a key element of India's nuclear deterrence capability,'' the defense added.

The launch makes India the sixth country which can conduct nuclear strikes and counterstrikes on land, sea and air. The other countries with such capabilities are the US, Russia, the UK, France and China.

While India is the largest importer of arms in the world and continues to heavily rely on Russia for its military hardware, the launch of a ballistic missile from the indigenous submarine is a major milestone for India which is emphasizing on developing its own defense sector.

Recently, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also unveiled the first batch of helicopters that were made in India. The helicopters have been designed for use in high-altitude regions like the Himalayas.

mf/dj (AFP, DPA)