Pakistan today responded to India's launch of its first nuclear-armed submarine, pledging to regain a "strategic balance" with its regional rival, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, July 27).
"Continued induction of new lethal weapon systems by India is detrimental to regional peace and stability," the Pakistan Foreign Ministry said.
The Indian vessel, called the INS Arihant, launched Sunday and is designed to carry torpedoes and ballistic missiles. It is the first of five such submarines India plans to build in order to fulfill its goal of possessing air-, land-, and sea-based nuclear weapons. The vessel is slated to undergo several years of testing before it is officially deployed.
"Pakistan believes that maintenance of strategic balance is essential for peace and security in South Asia," the foreign ministry said. "Without entering into an arms race with India, Pakistan will take all appropriate steps to safeguard its security and maintain strategic balance" (Agence France-Presse/Hindustan Times, July 28).