Pakistan’s missile test ‘blatant act of provocation’

After Pakistan tested its ‘ballistic missile’ capability on Saturday, India is viewing the move as a “blatant act of provocation” amid heightened tensions following the recent Pahalgam terror attack, according to people familiar with the matter.

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The Pakistani military conducted the launch of the Abdali surface-to-surface ballistic missile, which has a range of 450 km. While Islamabad had notified New Delhi in advance — as per bilateral norms between the two nuclear-armed neighbours — Indian officials believe the timing of the test is questionable.

A ballistic missile test does not involve a nuclear warhead. Instead, it assesses the system’s performance, including launch mechanisms, trajectory and accuracy. India too routinely tests its nuclear-capable missiles, mostly from its eastern coast.

In a statement, the Pakistan army said the launch aimed to “ensure the operational readiness of troops and validate key technical parameters, including the missile’s advanced navigation system and enhanced manoeuvrability features”.

India has not issued an official response to the missile test so far.

According to a March report by the Federation of American Scientists, Pakistan possesses approximately 170 nuclear warheads, while India is estimated to have around 180. The report notes that China, India, North Korea, Pakistan, the UK and possibly Russia are all believed to be expanding their nuclear arsenals.