(VOVworld) - India and Pakistan’s successful test of nuclear warhead missiles have raised concern in the international community. This is not the first time the two neighboring nations have launched missile tests. But in recent years, they have conducted more regular tests of longer range and stronger capacity. VOV reporter Anh Huyen discusses the potential risk of the missile production race in South Asia.

India test-fires missile Agni IV (source: indiablooms.com)

Indian military reported that they have successfully test fired a nuclear-capable strategic missile Agni IV from the launching centre located on Wheelers Island, off the coast of Odisha. This is the third test of Agni IV surface to surface missile, which has the capability to hit a target at a distance of 4,000 km, carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads weighing around one thousand tonne. The Indian Strategic Forces Command and the Defence Research and Development Organisation on Friday said they have begun preparation for the maiden test of the first new generation sub-sonic cruise missile Nirbhay with a range of 1,000 km. In August, India successfully test-fired its national developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II ballistic missile. The surface to surface missile is one of 5 types of missiles developed under India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.

India’s missile test took place 2 days after Pakistan announced its successful test-fire of the multi-tube Cruise Missile Hatf-VII, Babur. Although both nations haven’t admitted a new arms race, their consecutive nuclear missile tests have raised public concern of an unspoken nuclear weapon race in South Asia.

Pakistan and India are two regional nuclear powers. They have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Recently, India and Pakistan relations have been improved through constructive dialogues. But giving the recent missile tests, the international community says they haven’t been able to build complete trust. The Indian media has quoted a report from the US Congressional Research Center saying that Pakistan is making qualitative and quantitative improvements to its nuclear arsenal and could increase the number of circumstances under which it would be willing to use nuclear weapons, firstly to counter India.

In the past, Pakistan and India’s relations had been antagonistic. Since their independence in 1947, they have experienced some major conflicts. The arm race flared up following India’s test-fire a nuclear – capable long - range missile on April 19. One month later, Pakistan successfully conducted four middle-range cruise missiles to show off its state-of-the-art military technology, which a few countries can develop.  

The question of whether or not the test-fires are backed by world powers has yet to be answered. But analysts say that Islamabad does not welcome the idea of Washington and New Delhi improving relations and India becoming allies with the US in South Asia.

Fearing of a possible conflict, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on India and Pakistan to continue dialogues on regional security and peace as a measure towards improved relations. Early this month, in a meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna in Islamabad, Pakistani Prime Minister Pervez Sharaf expressed his belief that Pakistan and India relations would be improved. The two sides identified key bilateral cooperative areas including agriculture, tourism, education, science and technology, information technology and communications. They agreed to work out trust building measures via the Line of Control, respect the cease fire along their border line signed in 2003, and increase travel and trade through the Line of Control. The international community expects that resolve to improve their relations will help remove concern over a potential nuclear weapon race in the region.

Anh Huyen