Pakistan on Monday successfully test-fired its first ever nuclear-capable submarine-launched cruise missile Babur-III, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said.

The range of the missile is 450 kilometres, the DG ISPR said.

"The successful attainment of a second strike capability by Pakistan represents a major scientific milestone; it is manifestation of the strategy of measured response to nuclear strategies and postures being adopted in Pakistan’s neighborhood," the military said after the test.

Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa congratulated the team behind the launch and the nation on the development, Maj Gen Ghafoor said.

The missile was launched from an undisclosed location in the Indian Ocean, Radio Pakistan reported.

It was fired from an underwater, mobile platform and hit its target with precise accuracy.

Babur-III is a sea-based variant of ground-launched cruise missile Babur-II, which was successfully tested earlier in December last.

According to Radio Pakistan, the newly-launched missile has been built with state-of-the-art technology, including underwater-controlled propulsion and advanced guidance and navigation features, augmented by global navigation and terrain and scene matching systems.

Babur-III also features terrain-hugging and sea-skimming flight capabilities to evade hostile radars and air defences, in addition to other stealth technologies.

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Zubair Hayat, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah also congratulated the nation on this landmark achievement, the DG ISPR said.