Pakistan is reportedly advancing its efforts to build an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), according to CNBC TV18.
If successful, the development would mark a significant expansion of Islamabad’s strategic military reach and could lead to Washington officially classifying it as a nuclear adversary, according to a report in Foreign Affairs.
“While Pakistan claims its nuclear program is focused on deterring India, which has conventional military superiority, U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that the Pakistani military is developing an intercontinental ballistic missile,” the report said.
According to Foreign Affairs, U.S. intelligence agencies believe that this potential ICBM program is part of Pakistan’s broader attempt to deter not only India but also the United States from intervening in any future conflicts in South Asia.
