&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Pakistan developing nuclear missile that could hit India, US: What are Intercontinental Nuclear Ballistic Missiles? Why is Washington worried?")
Pakistan is reportedly developing a nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could reach India and the United States, according to a new report published by Foreign Affairs. This comes amid speculation that Pakistan is expanding its nuclear capabilities with support from China in the wake of Operation Sindoor.
Citing US officials, the report suggests that if Pakistan completes this project, Washington would be forced to consider the country a nuclear adversary, a term currently reserved for Russia, China and North Korea.
Also read: 'Will go hungry, but get the bomb’: How Pakistan got the nuclear bomb? A story of desperation, fear, and rivalry with India
“If Pakistan acquires an ICBM, Washington will have no choice but to treat the country as a nuclear adversary. No other country with ICBMs that can target the United States is considered a friend,” US officials reportedly said.
What is Intercontinental Nuclear Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs)?
Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) are long-range missiles capable of delivering nuclear or conventional warheads over a distance of more than 5,500 kilometres. Possessing ICBMs places a country in a different league of global military power.
A shift in strategy after Iran?
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Pakistan has traditionally focused its nuclear deterrence on India, with its current arsenal comprising short- and medium-range missiles. The country’s most advanced missile to date, the Shaheen-III, tested in 2022, can strike targets up to 2,700 km away, enough to reach key Indian cities but far short of the United States.
The report suggests that Islamabad may be pursuing an ICBM programme to prevent the kind of pre-emptive strike that Washington launched against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
A response to India’s growing capabilities?
Pakistan’s missile ambition could also be driven by India’s rapid military growth. Pakistan has long seen its nuclear arsenal as a balancing tool. As per the report, this missile could also act as a deterrent against American Washington is closely watching Pakistan’s missile ambitions. Last year, the US imposed fresh sanctions on the National Development Complex, the state-run body overseeing the missile programme, and three other Pakistani firms.
Islamabad condemned the measures, calling them “biased.”
