The army, announcing the "succesful test" of the surface-to-surface Shaheen 1/Hatf IV ballistic missile, declared an end to its current test series and foreshadowed future longer-range missile tests.

Here is a chronology of a missile race between Pakistan and India carried out against a background of tensions over the disputed Himalayan state of Kashmir and a history of three wars in 1947, 1965 and 1971.

1998

April: Pakistan launches the first version of a surface-to-surface Ghauri missile with a range of around 1,500 kilometres (940 miles).

May: India and Pakistan shock the world with a series of tit-for-tat underground nuclear detonations, confirming their long-suspected entry into the exclusive nuclear club.

1999

April: India tests the nuclear-capable Agni II, which with a range of around 2,500 kilometres (1,560 miles) could hit anywhere in Pakistan and deep into China.

Pakistan retaliates with a test of its Ghauri II missile, with a range of 1,500 kilometres, and its Shaheen missile (800 kilometres or 500 miles).

2000:

February 7: Pakistan test-fires a short-range Hatf I surface-to-surface ballistic missile reportedly able to reach targets up to 100 kilometresmiles) away.

2002

January 25: India test-fires the intermediate Agni I missile with a range of 700 kilometres (440 miles). Islamabad warns test-firing increases regional instability but promises restraint.

April 28: India tests a supersonic cruise missile, known as BrahMos, jointly developed with Russia. The missile has a range of 300 kilometresmiles) and can carry a 200-kilogramme (440-pound) conventional warhead.

(In addition to the Agni (Fire) series, India has already inducted the Prithvi (Earth) missile, a more cumbersome, fixed-silo delivery system with a maximum range of just 250 kilometres (150 miles). It has also tested a Trident short-range surface-to-air missile.)

May 25-28: Pakistan tests three missiles in quick succession: a short-range Abdali and Ghaznavi missile (with a reach of 180-290 kilometers/110 to 180 miles) and a long-range Ghauri missile.

September 24: India test-fires a Trident or Trishul short-range missile, which can reach nine kilometers (5.5 miles).

October 4: Pakistan tests its medium-range Shaheen or Hatf-IV ballistic missile, capable of carring nuclear warhead deep into India.

October 8: Pakistan again tests the Shaheen/Hatf-IV ballistic missile, two days before first general elections since 1999 army coup.

2003

January 9: India test-fires its first surface-to-surface intermediate-range ballistic missile, Agni.

January 18: India test-fires medium range surface-to-air missile, Akash (Sky) missile which can carry a 55-kilogram (121-pound) warhead and target five warplanes simultaneously.

January 20: India test-fires surface-to-air Akash missile.

February 12: India test-fires short-range supersonic anti-ship cruise missile BrahMos.

March 26: Pakistan and India conduct short-range surface-to-surface missile tests on the same day, with India test-firing the Pirthivi missile and Pakistan test-firing its Abdali missile.

April 29: India test-fires its medium-range surface-to-surface Prithvi missile.

October 3: Pakistan test fires Ghaznavi or Hatf III surface-to-surface ballistic missile, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead 290 kilometersmiles).

October 8: Pakistan test-fires Shaheen 1 or Hatf IV surface-to-surface ballistic missile which can carry a nuclear warhead 700 kilometers (434 miles).

October 14: Pakistan test-fires Shaheen 1/Hatf IV, declaring end to the test series which began October 3 and foreshadowing future longer-range missile tests.

burs/bc

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