Pakistan Thursday conducted a successful test of Shaheen-1A surface-to-surface ballistic missile, the military said.
"The test flight was aimed at re-validating certain design and technical parameters of the weapon system," the army said in a statement. However, the army did not share any technical detail of the missile.
On August 11, India tested its Defense Research and Development Organization-developed cruise missile off the coast of Odisha's Balasore district.
A day later, Pakistan successfully conducted the test launch of a surface-to-surface ballistic missile, Ghaznavi (Hatf III). The test was "aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of Army Strategic Forces Command, besides re-validating technical parameters of the weapon system," the Army said at the time.
In March, Pakistan had conducted a successful test launch of the Shaheen 1-A medium-range ballistic missile.
"The missile spanned a range of 900 kilometers and the test flight was aimed at the re-validating of various design and technical parameters of the weapon system including an advanced navigation system," said the military's media wing.
Earlier, Pakistan conducted a successful training launch of the Babur IA cruise missile.
The cruise missile has a range of 450 kilometers and can be launched from either a submarine or a land-based quad-launcher.
In 2018, the military conducted the first successful submarine launch of the Babur cruise missile, giving Islamabad a credible second-strike capability and augmenting the existing deterrence regime.
Pakistan's perspective on missile developments in South Asia
India and Pakistan continue to develop their missile-delivery systems and associated nuclear inventories, raising concerns of a regional arms race. While Indian doctrine appears intended to fight a 'two-front war' against Pakistan and China, the extent to which India's missile inventory is balanced, or otherwise, is a cause of disquiet in Islamabad, according to Dr. Adil Sultan, Dean and Head of Department, Faculty of Aerospace and Strategic Studies, Air University, Islamabad.
Many of the new missile systems being added to India's inventory appear to be more suited to target Pakistan than China. This disconnect between India's threat perception and missile developments not only risks eroding the credibility of its deterrence posture vis-Ã -vis China, but also courts an action-reaction dynamic with Pakistan. Islamabad, in response to how it views Indian developments, is in turn making qualitative improvements to its missile arsenal, with the intention of deterring limited conflict to an all-out war. The resultant arms race in the missile arena, however, is moving on two different trajectories, Dr. Sultan argued.
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