Pakistan tests long-range missile as tensions with India escalate
Photo: Pakistan conducts missile tests (Getty Images)
The Pakistani military has conducted a long-range missile test amid rising tensions with India. The two countries are on the brink of war following an attack by militants on tourists in the disputed Kashmir region, reports Bloomberg and Financial Express.
Pakistani officials announced the successful launch of a ballistic surface-to-surface missile, the Abdali. According to Financial Express, the missile has a range of 450 kilometers. Pakistani military officials explained that the purpose of the exercise was to test the missile's navigation system and maneuverability.
The missile test was part of the INDUS exercises — named after the Indus River, which India has blocked Pakistan from accessing after the Kashmir incident.
Bloomberg notes that Pakistan's missile test came just days after Indian naval vessels conducted test missile launches. The launches were also a show of strength, demonstrating India's ability to strike distant targets.
India has yet to officially respond to Pakistan's missile tests. However, unnamed Indian officials told Bloomberg that the missile launch was a provocation that would escalate the conflict further.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, May 3, India banned ships flying Pakistan's flag from entering Indian ports and prohibited Indian-flagged ships from docking in Pakistani ports. Indian authorities explained this decision as a measure to ensure the safety of Indian assets, cargo, and related infrastructure.
India-Pakistan conflict
At the end of April, militants attacked a group of tourists in the disputed Kashmir region, killing dozens. New Delhi accused Islamabad of supporting the militants and blocked Pakistan's access to its primary water source, the Indus River. Pakistan warned that the blockade would be considered "an act of war" and responded with countermeasures.
Both countries possess nuclear arsenals, raising the potential for the conflict to escalate into a nuclear war. The situation has already drawn reactions from the United States. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to hold talks with both parties involved in the conflict.
For more on the India-Pakistan conflict, read RBC-Ukraine's report.
