In the current global environment, the credibility of media platforms has increasingly come under question. An example of this is U.S. President Trump’s remarks labelling CNN coverage as “fake news” of sensitive episodes, such as the B-2 bombing of Iran’s nuclear site. In a world of news, where headlines shape strategic perceptions faster than facts, a recent article raised eyebrows. The authors, once part of the Biden administration’s later phase, theorise that Pakistan is developing Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), presenting it as a new threat to the U.S. They offered no satellite imagery, no official flight test record, no Pakistani statement, and no credible third-party intelligence. It is therefore a speculative postulate.

According to the world’s leading think tanks, Pakistan’s longest-range missile, Shaheen-III, has a range of approx. 2,750 km. The additional range allows the Shaheen 3 to target the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal, which is the sole reason for its development, according to General Khalid Kidwai, the former head of the Strategic Plans Division. There is no evidence that Pakistan has even tested or initiated a program for missiles beyond this range. No movement toward an ICBM-class capability has been observed in any open-source domain.

When strategic narratives are shaped by political motives, they endanger peace and do not preserve it.

Considering the logic that the article offered, “…no country with ICBMs aimed at the U.S. is considered a friend,” let us see what that is supposed to mean for India? India has tested the Agni-V, which ranges around 8,000 km, and is working on Agni-VI, which is designed to hit up to 12,000 km. India’s K-5 submarine-launched missile is also under development with an........

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