Pakistan, on 25 April 2012, successfully test-fired an upgraded version of Shaheen-1 missile. The new upgraded Shaheen-1, with its even longer striking range and nuclear carrying capability, can hit its targets in India.
The missile test comes less than a week after India successfully test-fired inter-continental Agni-v missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead as far as Beijing.
India's Agni-V with its range of 5000 kilometers, provides Indian missile defence technology with a defining edge over its arch rival Pakistan. The missile is also able to carry nuclear warheads as far as the Chinese capital as well as Shanghai.
The neighboring nations have a long history of conflict. After being liberated from the British rule in 1947, India and Pakistan have had three direct confrontations while there have been numerous indirect confrontations between the two countries.
Pakistan's missile armory, all christened after the name of Muslim invaders like Muhammmad Gori, Mahmood Ghaznavi, Ahmed Shah Abdali, Babar, includes short, medium and long range missiles. Pakistan, like India, is not a signatory to the NPT ( Nuclear Proliferation Treaty). The two countries have long been indulged in a bitter nuclear arms race as they keep conducting missile tests on a regular interval. Pakistan in 1998 had conducted the nuclear tests right after India which had hold five nuclear tests in May 1998. China, a conventional rival of India and a friend of Pakistan allegedly helped its ally to get the nuclear technology to counter India. Pakistan originally hit the road for nuclear programme in 1972 after the Bangladesh was carved out of it following the India-Pakistan war in 1971.The nuclear programme was atarted-off under the leadership of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in response to the India's growing military might in the sub-comtinent.
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