Pakistan's military says it has successfully test-fired a long-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

A statement from the military says the surface-to-surface Shaheen-II missile, which has a range of 1,500 kilometres, or 932 miles, was launched on Thursday and ended in the Arabian Sea.

"Shaheen II is a highly capable missile which fully meets Pakistan's strategic needs towards the maintenance of deterrence stability in the region," Pakistan's military said in a statement.

The announcement comes after results of a six-week general election in neighbouring India, Pakistan's chief regional rival, point to a win for incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Both nations have nuclear arms and have fought three wars since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. They regularly test-fire missiles.