The regional tension between India and Pakistan has entered a sharp new phase following Pakistan’s successful test of the Abdali surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a 450-km range. Conducted on Saturday under the banner of ‘Exercise INDUS,’ the launch from the Sonmiani Ranges was officially described as an effort to ensure operational readiness under the Army Strategic Forces Command (ASFC), which oversees the country’s nuclear-capable missile arsenal. The test, witnessed by top military and strategic command officials as well as scientists and engineers, was clearly a response to mounting pressure and perceived threats from India.
The timing of this missile test is significant and signals a deliberate move by Pakistan to assert deterrence amid fears of an Indian retaliation following the Pahalgam terrorist attack. India had already issued warnings about the possibility of such a launch, calling it a reckless provocation and an act that would dangerously escalate the already volatile situation. The use of the Abdali missile, capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads, points to Islamabad’s intent to flex its strategic muscle and reaffirm its doctrine of minimum credible deterrence.
Over the past week, Pakistan has intensified its military activities on multiple fronts. It has increased naval exercises in the Arabian Sea, coinciding with Indian Navy live-fire drills in the same waters, and has conducted ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border. Pakistan's air force is simultaneously engaged in three separate exercises involving key fighter jets such as the F-16, J-10, and JF-17, while it has deployed air defense and artillery units to forward posts, particularly along Rajasthan’s Longewala sector, where advanced radar systems have also been installed.
These actions are widely interpreted as defensive posturing in anticipation of Indian military action, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the Indian armed forces full operational freedom to respond to the April 22 attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. The Indian response has been swift and calculated. It includes the Navy’s heightened presence in the Arabian Sea, continued drills within its Exclusive Economic Zone, and the execution of military exercises like ‘Aakraman,’ involving Rafale jets and India’s top pilots.
In a bold show of coordination and air superiority, the Indian Air Force executed a “land and go” operation using a stretch of the Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, highlighting not only strategic flexibility but also the growing importance of civilian infrastructure in wartime readiness.
The overlapping of missile launches, naval drills, and large-scale troop movements on both sides underscores the severity of the current standoff. Diplomatic channels remain active, with global powers urging restraint and encouraging both nuclear-armed nations to de-escalate. Yet, on the ground and at sea, the signals point to a region bracing for confrontation, even as backchannel negotiations are likely underway.
