Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced the creation of the Army Rocket Force Command (ARFC) in August, following the May conflict with India. This comes after Pakistan’s ballistic missiles, named the Fatah-series missiles, were reportedly shot down over the city of Sirsa in Haryana. Furthermore, Pakistan failed to prevent the attack from India.
Pakistan has been deceptive about its new missile program and has been planning to retain the facts and technology of the missiles for itself instead of revealing them to ensure any new tech advancement does not leak. However, this time Pakistan has revealed plans to create a separate force for conventional missiles called the ARFC.
Pakistan’s Army Rocket Force Command
Pakistan’s aim behind creating the Army Rocket Force Command is to deter and respond to India’s precision missile attacks. Some defense experts believe that the announcement of the ARFC clearly organizes Pakistan’s missile systems for the first time in a conventional-only direction, which will make future army operations in case of a feud simpler to execute.
With such a new army, Pakistan is planning to deter the risk of a nuclear attack and plan a more rapid response to aggressors that attack them.
The Rocket Force Reduces the Risk of Nuclear Attack
In the May 2025 attack, India accurately used precision-guided missiles, executing a precise strike on Pakistan. Planning to include similar capabilities in their arsenal, Pakistan intends to develop dual-capable missiles, though they will remain primarily under nuclear control. The ARFC has been created to fill this gap and enable a swift, accurate response in the future.
As per Pakistan’s defense expert Ali Mustafa, Pakistan was unable to use missiles against India despite its desire. However, the Rocket Force will bring all conventional missiles under one command, significantly reducing the nuclear threat. With the creation of the new force, Pakistan will also be able to provide the world with proof of its strike capabilities, which were mocked during the May attack.
How Much Damage Can ARFC Cause to India, and Will India Be Able to Counter?
Ali Mustafa, in a recent report, stated that Pakistan was unable to retaliate in May. He advised that if Pakistan wants India to think twice before firing a shot in the future, it must target assets of economic importance. In any case, if such a situation arises, India is expected to retaliate in a similar manner.
With the new force, Pakistan will be able to initiate conflict with ballistic missiles not just near the border but deep inside India. Such missiles can cause massive damage, and a similar reply from India could result in greater human casualties than ever before. The presence of such a primary force is likely to escalate the devastation significantly.
