Pakistan Claims Successful Test of 450-Km Range Ballistic Missile Amid Rising Tensions With India
Amid escalating tensions with India, Pakistan on Saturday claimed it successfully test-fired a 450-km range ballistic missile, the Abdali Weapon System, during a military drill.
Pakistan’s military said the surface-to-surface Abdali missile was launched from the Sonmiani Ranges during ‘Exercise INDUS’, a drill involving the Army Strategic Forces Command (ASFC).
“The missile test was a standard operational user trial and demonstrates our preparedness,” Pakistani media quoted military sources as saying.
The launch was witnessed by Lt. Gen. Muhammad Shahbaz Khan, Commander ASFC, and Major General Sheharyar Pervez Butt, Director General of the Strategic Plans Division.
While Pakistan did not specify whether the missile was nuclear-capable, the Abdali system is known to be part of the country’s strategic deterrent arsenal.
The development comes days after India took a series of strong diplomatic and military steps following the deadly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 tourists were killed. India has since banned all imports from Pakistan, downgraded diplomatic ties, and closed its airspace to Pakistani aircraft.
Pakistan has responded by issuing a series of NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen), indicating potential missile activity in the region — a move interpreted by defense analysts as strategic posturing.
The Abdali missile is designed for precision strikes and could potentially be equipped with both conventional and nuclear warheads. It fills a key role in Pakistan’s short-range strike capabilities.
“Ballistic missile testing at a time like this is clearly aimed at signaling strategic resolve to India,” said a South Asia defense analyst based in New Delhi.
The Abdali (Hatf-II) missile was first tested in 2002 and has since undergone multiple improvements. With a range of 450 kilometers, it is capable of hitting key targets in northern and western India.
The latest test appears to be part of routine exercises but comes in the backdrop of heightened India-Pakistan hostility, raising eyebrows in diplomatic and security circles.
Neither New Delhi nor Islamabad have issued official statements in response to the latest missile launch. However, the continued escalation is likely to prompt international calls for restraint on both sides.
