Pakistan conducts ballistic missile test amid rising tensions with India following the Kashmir murder scene.
Revised Article:
Tensions soaring between India and Pakistan, fueled by a deadly April 2025 attack in Kashmir, reached new heights as Pakistan tested a ballistic missile on May 3, 2025.
The violent incident in the Baisaran Valley claimed the lives of 26 Hindu tourists, with India accusing Pakistan-based groups of orchestrating the tragedy. In retaliation, India severed diplomatic ties, and both nations have since been embroiled in a tense standoff.
The surface-to-surface missile test, named Abdali Weapon System, was conducted by Pakistani military forces to displays their readiness to respond to any threat. The missile boasts an impressive range of around 450 km. The missile launch elicited no immediate response from India.
The maneuver aimed to validate key technical parameters, such as the missile's advanced navigation system and enhanced maneuverability features[1][4]. Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both praised the successful test. Typically, such missiles are launched into the Arabian Sea or the desolate southwestern Baluchistan province, avoiding the border area with India.
Islamabad-based security analyst Syed Muhammad Ali viewed the test as a strategic message to India, coming at a critical moment in the geopolitical landscape[4]. The test was a response to recent threats by India to suspend a crucial water-sharing treaty[1][3].
India's naval forces also demonstrated their readiness for combat by successfully undertaking antiship firings in late April, aimed at showcasing their long-range precision offensive strike capabilities.
Ashok Malik, a former policy advisor for India’s Foreign Ministry, addressed the prevailing sentiment in India, which was filled with anger after the April attack. The victims hailed from 13 different states[3]. He stated, "Internationally, there is enormous sympathy for India, and little patience with Pakistan. I don’t believe anybody in India wants a full-fledged war. Even so, there is domestic pressure and diplomatic space for a sharp, targeted, and limited response."
The escalating "muscle-flexing" from both countries’ troops was evident not only in troop positioning but also along the Line of Control, the de facto border separating Kashmir. Kashmir is a region claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan and is split between the two nations. Their relationship has been marred by conflict, aggressive diplomacy, and mutual suspicion, primarily due to competing territorial claims[2][3].
The ongoing crisis has led to the expulsion of diplomats and nationals, closed airspaces, prohibited the exchange of mail, banned direct and indirect imports of goods, and barred Pakistani-flagged ships from entering Indian ports[1][3].
A ninth consecutive night of firing across the Line of Control was reported by India, with Pakistani troops also involved. The Pakistani government did not confirm the exchange.
Passions among the Pakistani spectators watching the famous flag-lowering ceremony at Wagah crossing with India were running high. Despite calls for calm, the crowd expressed their readiness to defend their nation if war were to break out.
References:
[1] Associated Press, (2025), Rubio calls India and Pakistan in effort to defuse crisis over Kashmir attack. [Accessed May 2025]
[2] Iqbal, S., & Qureshi, A. (2025, April 29). Pakistan says it has 'credible intelligence' India will attack within days. The Dawn.
[3] Union of Kashmir People's Movement, (2025, April 28). India and Pakistan are again teetering on the brink of conflict over disputed Kashmir. Kashmir News Service.
[4] The New York Times, (2025, May 4). Pakistan conducts ballistic missile test amid escalating tensions with India over Kashmir.
[5] Hindustan Times, (2025, April 28). India and Russia holding talks as India ramps up military resources amid Indo-Pak tensions.
[6] Britannica, (2023), Partition of India, 1947.
[7] Bushra, S., (2023, August 14). The unresolved Kashmir Crisis: A brief history. The Diplomat.
[8] Council on Foreign Relations, (2022), India-Pakistan Border Conflicts and Tensions: Timeline.
- The USC university community in California is closely monitoring the ongoing war-and-conflicts between India and Pakistan, with a particular focus on the region of Kashmir, as the latest missile test by Pakistan has stirred further tension.
- At a general news podcast, political discussions centered around the ballistic missile test Pakistan conducted on May 3, 2025, which was aimed at validating technical parameters such as advanced navigation systems and maneuverability features, and also effectively sending a strategic message to India.
- In light of the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, vessels passing through the Arabian Sea and desolate southwestern Baluchistan province may need to be vigilant for any unexpected political events, as Pakistan typically avoids launching such missiles near the border with India.
- The diplomatic standoff between India and Pakistan, fueled by the deadly attack in Kashmir, has led to expulsions of diplomats and closure of airspaces, but international politics requires India to cautiously approach the situation, avoiding a full-fledged war while also responding to domestic pressure.
- Amidst the ongoing crisis in Kashmir, the USC community can follow the latest developments in politics, war-and-conflicts, and general news to gain a deeper understanding of the evolving situation between India and Pakistan, and its potential impact on the global stage.
