India and Pakistan led missile tests this week as diplomatic ties unraveled following the Pahalgam terror attack. Both countries have also announced the suspension of key treaties, cancelled visas and asked all diplomats to leave within the next few days.
The Navy announced a successful missile test firing on Thursday afternoon amid escalating tensions with Pakistan. The announcement came hours after the neighbouing country indicated plans for surface-to-surface missile testing in the Arabian Sea. It is pertinent to note that the medium range surface-to-air missile tested from the INS Surat is highly effective against surface-to-surface missiles and other aerial targets.
An official statement furtherconfirmed that the homegrown guided missile destroyer had “successfully carried out a precision cooperative engagement of a sea-skimming target. NS Surat is the fourth and final ship in the P15B Guided Missile Destroyer Project and ranks among the largest and most sophisticated destroyers in the world. It is equipped with a state-of-the-art weapon-sensor packages and advanced network-centric capabilities.
New Delhi downgraded diplomatic ties on Wednesday following a horrific attack in Kashmir that left 26 dead and several others injured. The countermeasures announced by the Ministry of External Affairs included closure of the the Attari-Wagah border crossing, cancellation of visas for all Pakistani nationals and suspension of the Indus Water Treaty. Pakistan had indicated plans to hold a surface-to-surface missile test on April 24 hours after this announcement.
According to reports, the Pakistani military is likely to have tested the Shaheen-III or Babur cruise missiles along the Karachi coastline on Thursday. These weapons are capable of reaching several major Indian cities.