PAKISTANI MISSILES: EXPLAINING PROCUREMENT AND STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS

This article provides a detailed analysis of Pakistan's ballistic missile program, explaining its procurement strategies and assessing its strategic implications for regional and global security. It traces the origins and development of the program, highlighting the crucial role of external assistance, particularly from China, in its establishment. The study examines the different types of missiles in Pakistan's arsenal, from the short-range Hatf series to the medium-range Ghauri and Shaheen missiles. The research analyzes the strategic rationale behind the missile program, which is primarily aimed at deterring a conventional or nuclear attack from India and providing a credible second-strike capability. The paper argues that the missile program is a central component of Pakistan's national security strategy. The analysis concludes by evaluating the profound implications of the missile race for strategic stability in South Asia, including the increased risk of rapid escalation during a crisis.

Pakistan's ballistic missile program is a critical component of its national security posture and a key factor in the strategic calculus of South Asia. This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of its development, procurement, and implications. The first part of the study focuses on the origins and procurement patterns. It details how, in response to India's own missile program, Pakistan embarked on a determined effort to acquire missile technology. The paper provides a detailed account of the crucial technical assistance provided by China, which was instrumental in the development of both solid- and liquid-fueled missiles, and also discusses the alleged connections with North Korea. The core of the article is an analysis of the strategic implications of this capability. It argues that for Pakistan, missiles serve a number of key functions: they are the primary delivery system for its nuclear deterrent, they provide the means to hold high-value Indian targets at risk, and they serve as a powerful symbol of national prestige and technological achievement. The paper then delves into the destabilizing aspects of the missile race. It explores how the development of missiles with shorter flight times increases the pressure for pre-emptive strikes in a crisis and makes the management of nuclear escalation more complex and dangerous. The findings underscore that the introduction of ballistic missiles has created a more volatile and crisis-prone security environment in the subcontinent, making the need for robust confidence-building and risk-reduction measures more urgent than ever.