Washington, May 8: With Pakistan arming itself with nuclear capable cruise missiles with stealth capabilities, a new dimension has been added to India's maritime security challenges, says leading Indian defence expert retired Commodore C. Uday Bhaskar.
"Taking a leaf from China, Pakistan seems to be investing in cruise missiles," he said, referring to Pakistan's indigenously developed cruise missile Babur, which can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads.
"This has lowered the index of stability in the region," Bhaskar said at an Asia-Pacific security seminar on India's Maritime Security Challenges at the East-West Centre Tuesday.
But in dealing with issues ranging from low intensity conflict and piracy to major-power strategic contests, India's key challenges were resource constraints, ship building capabilities, maritime infrastructure and the changing geo-political environment, he said.
