The United States’ Director of National Intelligence has identified Pakistan’s evolving long‑range missile capabilities as part of a broad set of global strategic threats, warning that continued development could eventually place the continental US within strike range.
Presenting the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment to the Senate Intelligence Committee, Director Tulsi Gabbard listed Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan as nations actively advancing ballistic and other missile systems capable of delivering both nuclear and conventional payloads “that put our homeland within range.”
Gabbard singled out Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme, stating that it “potentially could include intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)”, a significant departure from the historically India‑focused doctrine Islamabad publicly asserts. The intelligence community also projected that global missile inventories could grow from around 3,000 today to more than 16,000 by 2035, driven by advances in long‑range strike systems across multiple states.
In testimony, Gabbard said the US maintains a secure nuclear deterrent against strategic threats but emphasised that the pace and sophistication of emerging missile technologies warrant close monitoring. She also highlighted persistent dangers from militant groups, including those in South Asia, underscoring the breadth of the threat landscape beyond state programmes.
Pakistan has strongly rejected the characterisation. Former Pakistani ambassador to Washington Jalil Abbas Jilani dismissed the assessment, underlining Islamabad’s position that its nuclear and missile capabilities are oriented towards regional deterrence, primarily vis‑à‑vis India, not the United States.
Independent analysts have also questioned the classification, noting that Pakistan does not currently field an operational ICBM with the range to strike continental US targets, and cautioning against conflating long‑term research with deployed capability.
The intelligence assessment marks a rare public statement from Washington suggesting Pakistan’s strategic weapons programmes could evolve beyond their traditional South Asian focus, a development that may have implications for future US‑Pakistan defence and diplomatic engagement.