Pakistan’s military said it tested a long-range missile amid rising tensions with neighbour India following an attack that killed more than two dozen people, mainly tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir.
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The launch of the surface-to-surface Abdali missile was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, the Pakistan military’s media wing said in a statement on Saturday.
The exercise was to test the weapon system’s navigation system and maneuverability features, it added.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs did not comment immediately on the missile test.
While countries may routinely conduct such defence drills, this missile test comes at a time when the two nuclear-armed nations have been ratcheting up pressure and levying tit-for-tat measures after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government vowed to punish those responsible for the April 22 terror attack.
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While India has accused Pakistan of involvement in this incident, Pakistan has denied any links to the assault and warned of retaliation if India takes military action. The US has been urging a de-escalation to avoid a broader regional conflict.
India banned the import of all goods originating from or transiting through Pakistan with immediate effect, its Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in on Friday.