Ballistic vs cruise missiles: How India and Pakistan’s weapon choices reveal their war strategy

Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the spotlight is now on a ballistic missile allegedly launched by Pakistan under its new military campaign, Operation Bunyanun Marsoos. India, however, mounted a robust defense, intercepting the missile and a barrage of other aerial threats, including drones and cross-border shelling.

In response, India launched a precise counteroffensive using air and drone strikes targeting key Pakistani military bases and urban nodes, dealing significant damage to infrastructure. While such attacks dominate headlines, not all missiles are created equal. Here’s a closer look at how ballistic and cruise missiles differ — and why that distinction matters.

Ballistic and cruise missiles differ fundamentally in how they move, how far they go, and how they strike.

Ballistic Missiles

• Trajectory: These missiles follow a steep, arching path — exiting and re-entering the atmosphere en route to their target.
• Propulsion: They rely on rocket engines for initial launch, then coast through space under the influence of gravity.
• Speed and range: Typically faster and longer-ranged; Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) can strike across continents.
• Manoeuvrability: Limited, especially mid-flight, which makes them more detectable and potentially interceptable.
• Advantages: Capable of carrying large payloads, including multiple warheads, ideal for strategic long-range strikes.
• Disadvantages: Susceptible to interception during their high-altitude mid-course phase, although their high speed poses a challenge.
• Examples: ICBMs, SRBMs, MRBMs, IRBMs.

Cruise Missiles

• Trajectory: These remain within the Earth's atmosphere, typically flying low or at moderate altitudes.
• Propulsion: Jet engines power them throughout their flight, allowing consistent propulsion and control.
• Speed and range: Slower than ballistic missiles, but capable of long-range precision strikes.
• Manoeuvrability: Highly manoeuvrable, enabling them to evade radar and adjust course mid-flight.
• Advantages: Superior precision and flexibility; can be launched from air, sea, or ground platforms.
• Disadvantages: Easier to detect and intercept due to their lower flight path.
• Examples: Tomahawk, BrahMos, SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow.

Missiles of India and Pakistan

Pakistan’s missile arsenal is anchored by a range of short to medium-range ballistic systems, with growing emphasis on cruise missile development. Its road-mobile ballistic inventory includes short-range systems such as Abdali, Ghaznavi, Shaheen-1, and NASR, alongside medium-range missiles like Shaheen-2 and Ghauri. In development are the Shaheen-3 and Ababeel MRBM, the latter believed to be designed for multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs), though this capability remains untested.

India, by contrast, fields a broader and more diversified missile portfolio, comprising roughly 29 types across ballistic, cruise, air-to-air, and surface-to-air categories. Its longest-range nuclear-capable missile is the Agni-V. India’s strategic program also includes land-based systems like the short-range Prithvi-II and Agni-I, as well as medium and intermediate-range missiles such as Agni-II and Agni-III.