Pakistan test-fires a new rocket system developed by its military, the army says

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s military said it successfully test-fired Wednesday a short-range, indigenously developed rocket system meant to boost its ability to deter any offensive action from archenemy and neighbor India.

According to a military statement, the Fatah-II Guided Rocket System has a range of 400 kilometers (240 miles), as well as a state-of-the-art navigation system, unique trajectory, and maneuverable features.

It can engage targets with high precision and defeat any missile defense system, it said and added that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the military congratulated the scientists and engineers behind the rocket system, as well as troops who ensured a successful launch.

Pakistan’s military often test-fires home-developed cruise missiles and weapons in an effort to showcase its ability to counter any threat from India.

The two South Asian nuclear-armed rivals have fought three wars against each other since they gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947.