missile system was found deficient as the tracking radar beam was getting intermittent breaks resulting in the missile missing the target and the heavy BMP-2 chassis did not meet the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQRs) for swift mobility due to heavy weight. On 25 January 2002, the naval variant of Trishul was test fired from INS Dronacharya but failed at sea-skimming capability. In 2003, Government of India announced that the missile will be a technology demonstrator and de-linked it from Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. But Ministry of Defence (MoD) was not interested in downgrading the Trishul Missile project. After modification in guidance, sub-systems and propellant composition, four missiles in full combat configuration was launched from BMP-2 from June 22 to June 25, 2003. The test achieved miss distance against moving targets above the specified requirement of the Indian Armed Forces. All the sub-systems, air frames, controls, integrated with ground control system of the combat vehicle worked well. By this time Trishul became more of a research and development oriented project instead of a user driven one backed by the armed forces. Trishul was successfully test fired from Integrated Test Range (ITR) on 10 February, 26 March and 27 March of 2004. On 5 October 2005, Trishul fired towards the sea from ITR was able to hit a pilot-less target aircraft. Until October 2006, 80 flight tests were already completed and DRDO was in dialogue with the IAF for user trials and induction. In 2006, Minister of Defence Pranab Mukherjee granted one year extension to Trishul project. Due to project delays, and modification of GSQRs and operational requirements over time, Trishul no longer able to meet the need of the end users. For continuation of the project and funding, it was proposed that the missile will be deployed in certain locations to conduct training, fire control, and air defence practice. As per Ministry of Defence (MoD), Trishul Project met the performance parameters set by the original GSQRs but failed to achieve the perfect three-beam guidance and development of millimeter-wave active radar homing seeker. The team of 200 scientists working on Trishul were reassigned for Barak 8, a joint project between DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). IAF finally selected SPYDER as an alternative to Trishul. To fulfill IAF requirement, DRDO made another attempt with MBDA on a joint project called Maitri. But it got cancelled due to lack of interest.