Babur, Fatah… Pakistan’s New Rocket Force Could Change India’s Battlefield Forever – Here’s Why | World News

New Delhi: Pakistan officially announced the establishment of the Army Rocket Forces Command (ARFC) following the conflict with India in May 2025. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif introduced the new command in August 2025 and emphasized its role in strengthening Pakistan’s ability to respond to precision missile attacks.

Pakistan’s use of Fatah series ballistic missiles during the May conflict was largely unsuccessful, and India’s BrahMos missile strikes demonstrated the limits of Pakistan’s existing missile options.

Before ARFC, Pakistan’s nuclear and conventional missiles were managed under a single Nuclear Command Authority. With ARFC, all conventional missiles are now managed separately.

Defense experts say this is the first time Pakistan has openly structured its conventional missile capabilities independently of its nuclear forces. The change aims to improve command and control, speed up response time and provide Pakistan with a more coordinated approach to missile deployment.

The main objective of ARFC is to enhance Pakistan’s ability to counter India’s precision attacks. Analysts observe that this move could reduce the risk of nuclear escalation during a conventional conflict, as the focus will now be on the use of conventional missiles, similar to Iran’s approach in regional conflicts.

The establishment of the ARFC suggests that Pakistan will rely heavily on ballistic and cruise missiles in future conflicts, thus enabling faster and more precise retaliatory strikes.

Historically, China established its second artillery unit in 1966, which later became the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF).

In 2021, realizing the growing missile capabilities in the region, India’s then Chief of Defense Staff General Bipin Rawat proposed an Integrated Rocket Force (IRF) for India.

The Russia-Ukraine conflicts and the 2025 Iran-Israel war have highlighted the increasing role of missiles in modern warfare. China’s PLARF operates both nuclear and conventional missiles, while the ARFC and India’s IRF focus solely on conventional missiles.

India’s use of precision-guided munitions, including BrahMos and SCALP missiles, during Operation Sindoor exposed the limits of Pakistan’s conventional arsenal. Several Pakistani missiles, although dual-capable, remained under nuclear control, restricting conventional use.

ARFC was created to address this gap and enable rapid and definitive responses in future engagements. Analysts emphasize that the ARFC reduces the risk of escalation of nuclear tensions while improving conventional attack capabilities.

Writing for South Asia Vice, defense expert Ali Mustafa emphasized that the Pakistani army was unable to launch effective missile strikes against India in May 2025. He noted that consolidating conventional missiles under the ARFC would allow the military to respond quickly to future crises while minimizing nuclear risk.

He also underlined that Pakistan plans to use Babur, Fatah and hypersonic missiles under this new command structure.

The ARFC is expected to improve Pakistan’s operational control over its conventional missile arsenal, enabling faster decision-making and coordinated launches.

Analysts say this could make conventional missile conflicts in South Asia more intense as both sides prioritize deep-target strikes against military and industrial assets. While the ARFC provides Pakistan with the tools to manage crises before they escalate, any future conflict could still cause significant damage and a strong retaliatory response from India.

ARFC reflects Pakistan’s strategic shift to independently manage conventional missiles, improve rapid response capability and reduce dependence on nuclear assets. While the command is designed to provide operational clarity and coordination, experts warn it could also increase the scale and intensity of future conventional missile exchanges in the region.