India-Pak Tensions Live | Pakistan military conducts training launch of surface-to surface missile

In a significant development amidst escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan’s military has conducted a training launch of a surface-to-surface missile. The timing of this missile test comes as bilateral relations have deteriorated to their lowest point in recent years.

According to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the missile test was described as a “routine training exercise” aimed at maintaining operational readiness of the country’s strategic forces. The military has claimed that the missile successfully hit its designated target, demonstrating the weapon system’s reliability and technical prowess.

Defense analysts view this missile test as Pakistan’s show of military capability during heightened tensions. The surface-to-surface missile, believed to be part of Pakistan’s Hatf series, has the capacity to carry both conventional and non-conventional warheads, with an operational range that covers strategic locations across India.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has responded by expressing concern over the timing of the test, describing it as “provocative” and “unhelpful” given the current security environment. The Indian defense establishment has reportedly heightened its surveillance and monitoring systems along the border in response.

This missile test follows India’s decision to ban imports from Pakistan and comes just days after the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of several pilgrims. International observers have called for restraint from both nuclear-armed neighbors, with the United States and United Nations urging dialogue rather than demonstrations of military capabilities.

The missile launch represents another concerning escalation in what has become a pattern of tit-for-tat responses between the two nations. Military experts warn that such displays of force could potentially lead to miscalculations in an already volatile region.