Why did Pakistan react when India test-fired the AGNI-V ballistic missile?

Pakistan has strongly criticized India’s recent test of the Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), alleging that such developments undermine strategic stability in South Asia and pose a threat beyond the region. It said India’s arms procurement and missile programs reflect an alarming trend of arms buildup that is eroding the fragile security balance in the region.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan, in his weekly press briefing, articulated Islamabad's concerns, asserting that India's increasingly advanced missile capabilities - especially those now with intercontinental range - pose serious risks to peace and security not only in South Asia but also at the global level.

Agni-V (Sanskrit: अग्नि; literally Fire) is a nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India. The missile has a basic range of 5,400 km (3,400 mi), which is believed to be extendable to an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) range of over 7,000 km.

It is a three-stage, solid-fueled ballistic missile launched from a land-based vehicle. The Agni-V is self-propelled and can be fired as long as the missile is aimed vertically. It is one of the fastest missiles in the world , reaching speeds of up to Mach 24 (29,400 km/h).

The Agni-V is primarily designed to bolster India’s nuclear deterrent against China. Before the Agni-V was developed, India’s longest-range missile was the Agni-IV, which has a range of 4,000 km. Launched from central India, this range would not be enough to strike targets in China’s far east and northeast. Most of China’s major economic centers are located on the east coast.

With the successful test of the Agni-V off the Odisha coast on Monday, India has enhanced its ability to strike targets in mainland China with its range of over 5,000 km. The intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) can carry a ton of nuclear and conventional warheads and has several new features. These include a multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) that allows the missile to hit multiple targets at once.

With a launch mass of about 50 tonnes (49 long tons; 55 short tons) and a development cost of over $292 million, Agni-V incorporates technologies involving ring laser gyroscopes and accelerometers for navigation and guidance.

It has the first stage from the Agni-III, with a modified second stage and a miniaturized third stage allowing it to fly 5,000 km (3,100 mi). The second and third stages are made entirely of composite materials to reduce weight.

According to the DRDO News, the launcher, called Transport-cum-Tilting vehicle-5, is a 7-axle, 30-meter long, 140-ton trailer towed by a 3-axle Volvo truck. The box design will significantly reduce the response time… to just a few minutes from ‘stop to launch’.

It is equipped with electronic controls for all automatic and remote operations, a 23 kVA generator and a PTO-driven hydraulic power unit, thus making it possible to carry out launching operations without any external power source and logistics.

Once the Agni-V is inducted, likely after three more user trials, India will join the select group of countries that possess ICBMs capable of hitting targets at ranges exceeding 5,000 km. The other countries in this group are the US, UK, France, Russia and China.