WASHINGTON: Pakistan is quietly developing a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBMs) potentially capable of reaching the continental United States, claimed a recent report by Foreign Affairs magazine.
While Pakistan has not confirmed any such development, the report cites unnamed US intelligence sources who suggest that the programme is allegedly receiving indirect support from China.
US intelligence agencies have identified classified indicators suggesting Pakistan is quietly accelerating a long-range missile program, with clandestine assistance from China, that would enable it to field an ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead over 10,000 kilometres, as per the publication.
The report asserts that this strategic shift could represent a significant evolution in Pakistan’s defence posture, placing it among the limited number of countries with long-range missile capabilities.
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Islamabad has repeatedly maintained that its nuclear and missile programmes are solely India-centric and based on credible minimum deterrence.
US intelligence agencies believe that this potential ICBM programme is part of Pakistan’s broader attempt to deter not only India but also the United States from interfering in any South Asian conflict in the future, as per the Foreign Affairs magazine.
Pakistan currently does not possess any declared ICBM. Its longest-range missile so far is the Shaheen-III, with a reported range of 2,750 km, designed to cover all of India, including distant outposts such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The article also points to Pakistan’s strategic partnership with China as a factor in its defence modernisation. While Beijing has not publicly endorsed any ICBM-related cooperation, the report hints that Chinese technological and financial support may have strengthened Pakistan’s missile development infrastructure.
As of now, Islamabad has not officially responded to the claims made in the Foreign Affairs article.