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Pakistan blasts Indian missile test
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan has denounced India's test-firing of a medium range version of its nuclear capable Agni missile on Thursday. Indian officials informed Pakistan ahead of the test, which took place at the Chandipur test site in India's eastern Orissa state at 8:47 a.m. (0317 GMT) and was witnessed by Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes. "This missile test reflects India's mindset," said Sheikh Rashid, Pakistan's Information Minister. "India's desire to control the subcontinent will never become a reality." "We have no desire to become involved in a heated conflict," Rashid said. "We will do whatever it takes to defend our country." The "Agni variant" missile has a range of 600 to 900 kilometers (373 to 559 miles), India's senior defense ministry official said. The missile can be fired from rail-based or road-based mobile launchers and can deliver a payload of one metric ton. The Agni, which means fire in Sanskrit, forms a key part of India's military self-defense strategy to protect it from nuclear neighbors China and Pakistan. India indicated on Wednesday it would conduct a range of routine missile tests over the coming days. RhetoricThursday's test follows a renewed nuclear rhetoric between the South Asian archrivals. Both governments threatened the other this week with possible nuclear reprisals should either launch any aggressive military action. (New war of words) Pakistan and India exchanged tit-for-tat missile tests in October, described as "routine" by officials.
After matching India's underground nuclear tests in May 1998 with tests of its own, Islamabad developed its range of missiles that can also carry nuclear payloads. Just a day ahead of Thursday's test by India, Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, accepted on behalf of the army a medium-range ballistic missile from the country's nuclear research facility. Pakistani government sources tell CNN that the Ghauri Hats-V has a range of about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles). The two countries stood at the brink of war during a 10-month military standoff over the disputed Kashmir region which ended late last year. Pakistan and India have fought two of their three wars since independence over Kashmir, which both sides claim. -- CNN Correspondent Ram Ramgopal and Islamabad Bureau Chief Ash-har Quraishi contributed to this report.
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