India's first night-time test of a nuclear-capable, medium-range ballistic missile failed, a defence ministry source said Tuesday.

A variant of the Agni (Fire) missile, with a range of 2,500 kilometres (1,560 miles), was fired Monday after sundown from a mobile launcher at the Wheeler Island test site, off India's east coast.

But the trial "has not met with success", the defence ministry source told AFP, without providing details.

The missile is one of a series being developed by India's Defence Research Development Organisation as part of the country's deterrent strategy against nuclear-armed neighbours China and Pakistan.

New Delhi has carried out many day-time trial tests of the domestically produced 20-metre-long missile, which has a launch weight of 16 tonnes and capacity to carry a one-tonne conventional or nuclear warhead.

"But this was the first night trial. We will be examining the data gathered to see what went wrong," the source said.

India already has the 3,000-kilometre range Agni-III missile -- the longest in the Agni series -- which can also carry conventional or nuclear payloads.

The Agni-I missile has a strike range of 1,500 kilometres.