Is Pakistan developing ICBMs that can hit the US? What's the possible motive?

Pakistan, which is continuing with its assertive military modernisation efforts, significantly increasing its defence spending—the country proposed a 20 per cent increase in its defence budget, which was the biggest increase in 10 years—and focusing on acquiring advanced weaponry and technology, is developing a long-range ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) capable of reaching the US.

 

According to a Foreign Affairs report, while Islamabad claims its nuclear programme is strictly focused on being a deterrent to India, which enjoys a conventional military edge, US intelligence agencies have concluded that the ICBM that is under development in Pakistan could reach the US.

 

"In acquiring such a capability, Pakistan might be seeking to deter the United States from either trying to eliminate its arsenal in a preventive attack or intervening on India’s behalf in a future Indian-Pakistani conflict," the report reads.

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The US will have to treat Pakistan as a "nuclear adversary" if the country goes ahead and acquires such an ICBM, Foreign Affairs cited US officials as saying.

 

Pakistan is not known to possess ICBMs that have a range of more than 5,500km. If the report is to be believed, this is a major shift for the country as Pakistan has always been focused on developing short- and medium-range missiles, designed to deter or target India. 

 

In May, US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), in an assessment report presented before the US House of Representatives' Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations, had observed, "Pakistan is modernising its nuclear arsenal and maintaining the security of its nuclear materials and nuclear command and control. Pakistan almost certainly procures WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) applicable goods from foreign suppliers and intermediaries."

 

DIA noted that Pakistan primarily is a recipient of China’s economic and military largesse, and said, "Foreign materials and technology supporting Pakistan’s WMD programmes are very likely acquired primarily from suppliers in China."

Defence