Pakistan’s Growing Missile Capabilities Raise Concerns in Washington as U.S. Policy Focuses on Economic Ties
LONDON — Pakistan’s deepening strategic and technological ties with China are raising fresh concerns in Washington, as analysts warn that Islamabad’s evolving missile capabilities could pose a new level of threat to the United States.
A recent analysis published by the Royal Society for Asian Affairs highlights longstanding Chinese support for Pakistan’s nuclear program, including the provision of enriched uranium, materials, and technical expertise dating back to the 1970s. The report argues that this cooperation has expanded in ways that may affect Pakistan’s operational independence in a major conflict.
Marcus Andreopoulos, a senior research fellow at the Asia-Pacific Foundation and an expert affiliated with NATO’s Global Threats Advisory Group, said U.S. officials have been monitoring these developments closely. He noted that prior to sanctioning Pakistan’s National Development Complex and other entities, the Biden administration imposed penalties on several Chinese firms and a research institute accused of knowingly assisting Pakistan’s ballistic missile program. Earlier sanctions had also targeted three additional Chinese companies for similar activities.
The report points to warnings issued in June 2024 by Lindsay Ford, a former White House adviser on South Asia, who described Pakistan as an “emerging nuclear threat” to the United States. According to Ford, heightened tensions in the region — including U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in 2025 — could accelerate Pakistan’s pursuit of long-range missile technology.
Such advancements could include intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, significantly extending Pakistan’s strike range beyond its traditional regional focus.
“As an established nuclear power, this would allow Pakistan to launch nuclear warheads far further than previously possible,” the report states. “This potentially poses an unprecedented threat to the U.S. mainland — one that has previously been reserved only for America’s traditional nuclear adversaries. Yet recent events suggest that, instead of addressing these developments, Washington is opting to prioritize closer ties with Islamabad instead.”
The analysis also argues that the current U.S. approach toward Pakistan reflects a shift toward economic and transactional engagement, potentially at the expense of broader security considerations. It notes that Washington has expanded engagement with Pakistan’s military-backed government despite ongoing concerns among members of Congress over political repression.
“Should U.S.–Pakistan relations proceed as they are, there is little reason to expect Trump to take interest in, let alone seek to curb, Pakistan’s ICBM programme,” the report concludes. (Source: IANS)
