Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan after 27 people were killed on Tuesday (April 22) in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam district, a popular tourist destination of India, the Indian Navy successfully test-fired a medium-range surface-to-air missile INS Surat against a sea-skimming target in the Arabian Sea on Thursday (April 24)
Missile features
Jointly developed with Israel, the latest guided-missile destroyer, INS Surat, has a 70-km interception range.
About 75% of the guided-missile, named after a city in Gujarat, is indigenously built with features like AI integration, BrahMos and Barak-8 missiles, and advanced radar systems. Commissioned in January 2025, it is also the fourth Visakhapatnam-class stealth destroyer of the Indian Navy.
Pakistan also Planning missile test?
Notably, Pakistan is also planning to conduct a surface-to-surface missile test on April 24-25. According to a report by News18, the Indian defence ministry is closely monitoring the developments amid the heightened tension over the Pahalgam terror attack.
PM Modi's stern message
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a rally in Bihar issued a stern warning to terrorists pledging to "identify, track, and punish" those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack.
“Today, on the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world — India will identify, trace, and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth.”
“India's spirit will never be broken by Terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished. Every effort will be made to ensure that justice is done. The entire nation is firm in this resolve. Everyone who believes in humanity is on our side. I thank the people of various countries and their leaders, who have stood with us in these times,” the PM further added.
The Pahalgam attack
In one of the deadliest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in the recent past, 26 tourists were gunned down by terrorists in the Baisaran meadow on Tuesday. Known as ‘mini-Switzerland', Baisaran is located at a distance of 5 kilometres from the main centre of Pahalgam.
The meadow is accessible only by foot or ponies and is also a popular trekking location. The rugged, steep, difficult to traverse terrain made it a likely target by terrorists. Also there were no vehicles available nearby and no structures to hide when the attack unfolded on Tuesday afternoon,