India Slams North Korea Rocket Test, Then Launches Its Own

Military Terms Nuke-Capable Launch a Success

The Indian government has issued a statement condemning North Korea for a successful long-range rocket test, which put a satellite into orbit. Officials termed it “unwarranted” and a threat to regional stability.

At roughly the same time, India launched their own long-range missile test, firing a nuclear-capable surface to surface Agni-1 ballistic missile off the Odisha coast.

Officials gave no indication as to why the firing was timed so closely to the statement, or indeed any indication that they understood exactly how hypocritical the launch makes them look on the matter.

North Korea withdrew from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty in 2003 and though it has done some nominally successful detonations is not believed to have warheads capable of loading onto their missiles. India, on the other hand, has never been a member of the NPT at all, and has a significant nuclear arsenal. So far the international community has not commented on India’s missile test at all, and appears to busy railing at North Korea.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.