The sources said Pakistan began pursuing a ballistic missile programme in the early 1980s to develop a nuclear strike capability against India.
Though Pakistan is vehemently denying modifying American-made Harpoon anti-ship missiles to target India, sources in the defence establishment conceded that the country’s nuclear programme was largely India-centric.
The sources said the Pakistan’s missile programme was based on a strategic requirement to build a diversified and survivable nuclear deterrent capable of targeting the bulk of Indian landmass.
They said although Pakistan had a small force of nuclear-capable combat aircraft, land-based ballistic missiles were set to become the mainstay of its nuclear strike force.
The sources said Pakistan began pursuing a ballistic missile programme in the early 1980s to develop a nuclear strike capability against India.
But they denied that Pakistan ever modified American missiles. “Pakistan did lack the technological resources, industrial infrastructure and human capital to undertake the development of ballistic missiles indigenously when it launched a programme to acquire the missile technology in the early 1980s,” the sources said.
“However, Pakistan was helped by China and North Korea to develop a missile technology to counter check India,” the sources said.
The sources said Pakistan was making frantic efforts to develop its missile technology because its Air Force had failed to augment its fleet of modern combat aircraft due to American sanctions which were designed in the past to slowdown Pakistani nuclear weapons programme.
After India and Pakistan conducted the May 1998 tests, American pressure combined with instability in Pakistan prevented external suppliers from selling high-tech nuclear-capable combat aircraft to Islamabad. As a result, the country feels it is lagging behind India in missile technology.
The sources said India’s air combat, air-defense and long-range reconnaissance capabilities were compelling Pakistan to make more investments in acquiring ballistic missile-based capability.
Pakistan has already developed its solid-fuel Shaheen II missile which is capable of hitting India anywhere within a range of 2,000 km.
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