Pakistan would start war with India by firing ballistic missiles, creating Rocket Force; More dangerous and devastating

New Delhi: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the creation of the Army Rocket Force Command (ARFC) in August, following the May conflict with India(BHARAT). Sharif’s announcement surprised the defence world. This was because during the May conflict, Pakistan used a Fatah-series ballistic missile against India(BHARAT), which India(BHARAT) shot down over Sirsa, Haryana. Furthermore, Pakistan had failed miserably in preventing India(BHARAT)’s precision BrahMos missile attacks.

Pakistan creates separate force for conventional missiles

Pakistan had deliberately kept its missile programme entangled to confuse the enemy, but in reality, it had become entangled in this system itself. Until now, Pakistan’s nuclear and conventional missiles were under a single Nuclear Command Authority. However, for the first time, Pakistan has decided to create a separate force for conventional missiles, called the Army Rocket Force Command (ARFC).

Pakistan creating Army Rocket Force Command

Pakistan’s goal in establishing the Army Rocket Force Command (ARFC) is to deter and respond to India(BHARAT)’s precision missile attacks. Some defence experts believe that the ARFC announcement clearly organises Pakistan’s missile systems for the first time along conventional lines, simplifying command and control. However, they also indicate that Pakistan will now focus on using a greater number of missiles in a future conflict, similar to Iran’s. This achieves two things: first, it reduces the risk of a nuclear attack, and second, it allows for a quicker response. This means that Pakistan, like Iran, will likely use mostly ballistic missiles in a future conflict.

Rocket Force reduces risk of Nuclear Attack

In the May 2025 attack, India(BHARAT) accurately used precision-guided munitions like the Scalp and BrahMos against Pakistan, while Pakistan had limited conventional options. Many of Pakistan’s missiles have been described as “dual-capable,” but they remain primarily under nuclear command, leaving the army with limited conventional missile options. The ARFC was created to fill this gap and enable a swift, accurate response in the future. Some experts argue that the biggest advantage of creating a Rocket Force is that it will significantly reduce the risk of nuclear war.

Will the ARFC really be able to counter India(BHARAT)?

The presence of the ARFC could make any crisis in South Asia even more dangerous and devastating. India(BHARAT)’s retaliation would be equally fierce, and the reality is that Pakistan lacks a crisis management mechanism. If an incident like the one in May 2025 were to occur again, Pakistan would initiate the conflict with ballistic missile attacks, not just near the border, but against deep-rooted military and industrial targets within India(BHARAT). This would likely cause massive damage, and a similar India(BHARAT)n retaliation would multiply the risk of humanitarian tragedy. Therefore, ARFC may delay a war for a long time before it starts, but once it starts, it will escalate the crisis to a devastating level.