Musavir Hameed Barech

Read my latest opinion piece for The Nation. nation.com.pk/20-Aug-2023/a-…

India doesn't need a 12,000 km missile to threaten Pakistan or China. India develops the Agni-VI with an intercontinental range, placing Washington, London, and Paris under its nuclear umbrella — this doesn't merely highlight the technicalities; the motive remains deeply rooted in strategic ambitions. Who is this missile for? Not the adversaries India publicly names. The range overshoot tells a different story; one of prestige-driven power maximization, not credible minimum deterrence. And yet, Western capitals remain conspicuously quiet. The same nonproliferation voices that challenge every Russian warhead and every North Korean test have nothing to say about India's silent march toward global strike capability. That silence is itself a strategic choice. And it may prove to be a costly one. @zahirhkazmi @zafarwafa1977 @AsmaKhawaja5 @ExecDirCISSS @ciss_ajk @CISS_Islamabad @SVI_Pakistan #AgniVI #ICBM #NuclearStrategy #India #Deterrence #ArmsRace #StrategicStability m.economictimes.com/news/defence/d…

Major General Gagan Deep Bakshi, a highly decorated Indian officer and strategic affairs commentator, warns that India could destroy major US cities such as New York and Washington using nuclear capable Agni-5 ICBMs and K-5 SLBMs

The reported development of #AgniVI raises a question: When regional deterrence is stable, what justifies ICBM capabilities reaching #Europe and North America?Deterrence is not just capability,it is intent.And intent shapes strategic stability @AsmaKhawaja5 @RadioactiveFrnd

🇮🇳 Reportedly preparing to test nuclear-capable Agni-VI (~12,000 km, MIRVs). This expands strike reach to 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 🇬🇧 🇫🇷, complicating global security landscape. 🇮🇳 is now posing a direct threat to 🇺🇸. 🇺🇸 & allies must stop turning a blind eye to these destabilizing developments.

@zahirhkazmi @bttn_quetta This reminds me of what US DS of State Christopher Landau said at the Raisina Dialogue: ‘We are not going to make the same mistakes with 🇮🇳 that we made with 🇨🇳 20 years ago.’ The US has woken up to 🇮🇳’s rising economic threat but they must now also address the military threats

‼️‼️𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃‼️‼️ 1/7 #DRDO Chairman says India is ready to test its nuclear capable #ICBM #AgniVI with ranges estimated up to 12000 km carrying multiple warheads. With these ranges India has the capability to reach not just China, Middle East & Europe but also US and Canada.

🛡️ DRDO Chairman Kamat confirmed: India is “ready” for Agni-VI ICBM development witch’s a nuclear-capable beast with speculated 10-12,000 km range & MIRV warheads. Enough to reach Europe, US & Canada. Govt nod pending. Who is this really for? Pakistan & China are already covered by existing arsenal. In a nuclear South Asia, after Op Sindoor’s boldness, a Hindutva-driven push for global strike capability? The West watching this “minimum deterrence” stretch? #AgniVI #StrategicShift m.economictimes.com/news/defence/d… @RadioactiveFrnd @orfonline @EconomicTimes @bttn_quetta @ciss_ajk @ciss_ajk @dratiaalikazmi @arooj_kaz

“Indian ICBMs (Agni-VI) – A Global Security Threat” India’s development of Agni-VI, an ICBM with a range of 12000km-16000km, goes beyond Pakistan and China. It now clearly threatens the US, Canada, Europe, and the entire American Continent. India, with increasing ranges of its ICBMS and SLBMs, has become a global threat. The international community, including the US, needs to question India about such strategic ambitions. This is no longer consistent with India’s declared minimum deterrence; it goes far beyond such a perceived nuclear policy. It is no longer security. It is dangerous hubris, an escalation dominance, prestige, and power projection, at both the regional and global levels. Pakistan is watching; the Chinese are watching; the global community is concerned about this, and the US must take action now rather than never when India becomes a strategic Frankenstein against the US's vital security and geostrategic interests. @MalluChique @RealBababanaras #India #DRDO #ICBMs #SLBMs #Threat #US #Canada #EU #global #power #prestige

@SShahabShahid This clearly lends credence to the argument that the primary target of 🇮🇳’s long-range ballistic missiles — the Agni-5 and the Agni-6 (currently under development) — with ranges of 8,000 to 12,000 km, is neither #Pakistan nor #China, but the #USA and its Western allies.

@RadioactiveFrnd This reminds me of what US DS of State Christopher Landau said at the Raisina Dialogue: ‘We are not going to make the same mistakes with 🇮🇳 that we made with 🇨🇳 20 years ago.’ The US has woken up to 🇮🇳’s rising economic threat but they must now also address the military threats

@zafarwafa1977 @bttn_quetta Well articulated. The ongoing Russia- Ukraine and Israel-Iran conflicts further complicate the hope for denuclearization of the globe.

“Disarmament Commitments and Strategic Realities” I had a chance to deliver my thoughts titled “Disarmament Commitments and Strategic Realities” in the CISS AJK One-Day Webinar on “Universalism vs Selectivity: Rethinking Equity in the NPT Regime” on 27 April, 2026. Here is the gist of some of these analyses: When the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was formed in 1968 and subsequently enforced in 1970 after a deadlock of many years of negotiations on establishing the three fundamental pillars of the NPT: a) nonproliferation, b) peaceful uses of nuclear technology, and c) nuclear disarmament, the major nuclear weapons states, now called the P-5, promised to go for nuclear disarmament in the NPT. They failed to keep their promise of complete disarmament despite the indefinite extension of the NPT at the 1995 NPT Review Conference. The commitments to nuclear disarmament were overshadowed by the harsh strategic realities of international politics. The good news is that there are only 9 nuclear-weapon states in the system, despite the perceived danger of a cascade of nuclear proliferation across the board. Nevertheless, the aspirant states for acquiring nuclear weapons were either forcefully not allowed by the US or preempted with preventive strikes by others, such as Israel and the US. Israel preempted Iraq, Syria, and, more recently, Iran’s nuclear facilities because of its fear of an “existential threat” from other countries in possession of nuclear weapons. But, Israel remains the only country to possess nuclear weapons in the region while rejecting the proposed nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East. This became one of the reasons for the failure of the NPT Review Conference. The US did not allow others to acquire nuclear weapons except the UK and France for two simple reasons: One, the US pretends to promote the nonproliferation imperatives by providing a nuclear umbrella (extended deterrence) to its allies and partners, thereby not allowing them to develop their nuclear capability. Two, many security analysts argue that it suits the US's vital security interests by retaining its power projection and security dominance over its allies. The bad news is that NPT remains weak and ineffective, not even preventing nuclear-weapon states from striking non-nuclear-weapon states parties to the NPT. The NPT probably may not prevent the recognized nuclear-weapon states from using nuclear weapons against the non-nuclear-weapon states parties to the NPT. This potentially has created a dangerous precedent and a security concern between the haves and have-nots. In fact, the strategic realities are different and more complex than we ideally perceive. Both the US and Russia continue to possess almost 90% of the total world nuclear forces. All major nuclear-weapon states are not ready for the promises they made for the ultimate nuclear disarmament. Even President Barack Obama’s Prague speech in April 2009 aspired to a world without nuclear weapons. But, this could not be achieved at least in his lifetime, as he immediately admitted. All major nuclear states are not only modernizing but also increasing their nuclear weapons, along with the development of sophisticated delivery systems. In sum, this NPT review conference, starting on April 27, may not be able to accomplish all the outstanding goals, such as the proposed Middle East Nuclear Weapons Free Zone, agreement on complete nuclear disarmament, and the long-standing issue of discrimination between the haves and have-nots. What is needed much more is the principles of universality rather than selectivity, equity, transparency, restraint, and non-discrimination, moving forward. #NPT #NSG #IAEA #nuclear #nonproliferation #ReviewConference #disarmament #US #EU #China #Russia #UK #France

#post-heading" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">thebulletin.org/2026/04/will-t… “THE ESSENCE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS/ NUCLEAR DETERRENCE” “The takeaway for every middle power and so-called rogue state is becoming undeniable: If you have the bomb, you don’t get bombed. The race is on to get it while they still can.” - Pervez Hoodbhoy Although Pervez is famously known as the “nuclear abolitionist”, the concluding takeaway from his piece here reflects the essence of nuclear weapons/ nuclear deterrence against the perceived potential adversary. In other words, nuclear deterrence remains relevant and it deters. @BulletinAtomic #IranWar‌ #IranRevolution2026‌ #JCPOA #nuclear #Iran #US

Nuclear deterrence has always been the decisive factor in crisis de-escalation in South Asia, preventing major conventional military offense... Read my piece on this imperative: stratheia.com/nuclear-deterr… @bttn_quetta @zafarwafa1977 @zahirhkazmi #Pakistán #nuclear #india

5. Addressing the Dual Challenge in Education: (A) Out-of-School Children. (B) Quality of Education. 6. ⁠Rationalizing the Establishment of New University Campuses across Balochistan. #امن_کا_سفیر_پاکستان #Pakistan #Youth #Development #Balochistan

2. Establishment of a Dedicated Balochistan Job Portal just like the National Job Portal. 3. Prioritizing STEM Education 4. Enhancing Engagement at the School and College Level #امن_کا_سفیر_پاکستان #Pakistan #Youth #Development #Balochistan

I was also invited by the Directorate of Youth Affairs Balochistan to contribute to the development of a comprehensive roadmap for the socio-economic development of Balochistan’s youth under a PSDP-funded scheme. #امن_کا_سفیر_پاکستان #Pakistan #Youth #Development #Balochistan