Pakistan Test Fires Surface to Surface Missile, India's Air Power Display on Ganga Expressway Troubling Pakistanis?

Pakistan on Friday test-fired its Abdali short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads. The move comes just days after India conducted a massive air power demonstration over the Ganga Expressway, showcasing its advanced fighter jets and strike capabilities.

Pakistan Test Fires Surface-to-Surface Abdali Missile

Breaking: Pakistan tests fires surface-to-surface Abdali missile. pic.twitter.com/DPhM6V4MjN

— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) May 3, 2025

Pakistan’s military confirmed the test, stating that it was a "routine training launch" intended to "validate various design and technical parameters of the weapon system."

However, analysts in New Delhi see this as a potential signal of strategic anxiety. “Every time India projects dominance—like the recent IAF display in Uttar Pradesh—Pakistan is compelled to respond, not just diplomatically, but with visible deterrence,” a defense expert said.

The timing of the missile test has sparked debate

The timing of the missile test has sparked debate, especially in the context of growing asymmetry in air power between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. India’s increasing focus on infrastructure and rapid military deployment capability, particularly along strategic corridors like the Ganga Expressway, is being closely watched by Islamabad.

The Abdali missile, with a range of around 200–300 kilometers, is designed for quick deployment and tactical use. Though it doesn’t match India’s longer-range systems, its testing is seen as part of Pakistan’s posture to maintain “credible minimum deterrence.”

The situation remains calm, but the continued display of military strength by both nations underscores a persistent undercurrent of strategic rivalry in South Asia.

Over the past few years, India has significantly expanded its military spending and acquisition of high-tech defense systems, including S-400 air defense systems, drones, and enhanced missile systems. Pakistan, on the other hand, continues to rely on its older missile platforms like Ghauri, Shaheen, and Abdali, with limited modernization due to economic constraints.

India’s strategy has also shifted toward offensive defense, focusing on infrastructure development like border roads, expressways, and airfields that can support dual civilian-military use. These are seen not just as transport hubs, but as logistics lifelines in conflict scenarios.