By Kaveesha Fernando
NEW DELHI, India (CWBN)_ In another show of military strength by Asian superpower India, the nation is reported to have successfully test-fired two Prithvi-II ballistic missiles off the eastern coast of Odisha in Balasore, according to Indian media reports.
The missiles were developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation of India in the 1990s and 2000s under the nation’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Program, a project which was launched to help Indian achieve self-sufficiency in the field of missile technology. It can be armed with 500 to 1000 kilograms of conventional or nuclear warheads and is fuelled by liquid propulsion twin engines.
Last month, India carried out ‘live tests’ of land version of the BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, reportedly enhancing the strike range of the missile to over 400 km.
India’s recent missile tests are being carried out in the backdrop of rising hostilities between India and China. The conflict revolves around a long-contested border dispute between the two countries with regards to the Indian region of Ladakh, which both countries claim ownership of. The adjacent Indian region of Jammu and Kashmir is also contentious – Pakistan claims that the territory is theirs.
Adding to the list of active land disputes is the Khalistani separatist movement, a Sikh political ideology which believes in an autonomous Sikh homeland. The movement has been fairly inactive since the 1990s, but recently made headlines after they formed an integral part of the Indian farmers’ protest in London and sparked opposition for the three new Indian farm laws in other Western nations as well. With international support on the side of the farmers and the Khalistani movement once again gaining traction, it is possible that tensions will resurface with regards to the movement.
