India and Pakistan enter a new missile race after deadly border clash

As India invests in more BrahMos missiles and upgraded SAAW systems, observers say Pakistan is ‘copying China’ with a new rocket force

The moves follow their deadly four-day conflict in May, which saw some of the most intense border hostilities between the nuclear-armed rivals in years.

Simultaneously, the Indian government says it is upgrading its indigenous Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) to feature advanced guidance systems and be compatible with both the air force’s Russian Sukhoi Su-30MKI and French Rafale aircraft. The enhanced SAAW will have an extended range of some 200km (124 miles).

Abdul Basit, a senior associate fellow at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore, described the developments as the start of a new missile race between the two arch-rivals.

Pakistan’s air force outperformed New Delhi’s expectations during the recent hostilities, Basit said, prompting India to ground its aircraft and pivot towards missile strikes.