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

Pakistan has strongly criticized India's test of the AGNI-V missile, saying it threatens regional and global stability. So how dangerous is this "pencil"?

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

Foreign Ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan, at a weekly press briefing, highlighted Islamabad's concerns, asserting that India's increasingly advanced missile capabilities – particularly those with intercontinental range – pose serious risks to peace and security not only in South Asia but also globally.

Agni-V (Sanskrit: अग्नि; literally Fire) is a medium-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). The missile has a baseline range of 5,400 km (3,400 miles), which is believed to be extendable to the range of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) of over 7,000 km.

This is a three-stage, solid-fuel ballistic missile launched from a ground-based vehicle. The Agni-V is independently developed and not dependent on a launcher, meaning it can be fired as long as the missile is oriented 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 was primarily designed to enhance India's nuclear deterrence capabilities against China. Prior to the development of the Agni-V, India's longest-range missile was the Agni-IV, with a range of 4,000 km. Launched from central India, this range was insufficient to strike targets in the far eastern and northeastern regions of China. Most of China's major economic centers are located on its eastern coast.

With the successful Agni-V test off the coast of Odisha on Monday, India has enhanced its ability to strike targets in mainland China with a range of over 5,000 km. This intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) can carry a ton of nuclear and conventional warheads and possesses several new features. These include a Multi-Retrieval Warhead (MIRV) that allows the missile to strike multiple targets simultaneously.

With a launch weight of approximately 50 tonnes (49 long tonnes; 55 short tonnes) and development costs exceeding $292 million, Agni-V incorporates technologies related to a ring laser gyroscope and accelerometer for navigation and guidance.

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

According to the DRDO bulletin, the launch vehicle, 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 response time... to just a few minutes from 'stop to launch'.

It is equipped with an electronic controller for all automatic and remote operations, a 23 kVA generator, and a hydraulic power unit driven by a PTO, thus enabling launching operations without any external power and logistics.

Once the Agni-V is commissioned, it is highly likely that after three more human trials, India will join the group of nations possessing ICBMs capable of striking targets at ranges exceeding 5,000 km. Other nations in this group include the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China.

The Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile changed the global nuclear landscape.

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