India’s recent test of the Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has once again pushed the region into a dangerous spiral of nuclear escalation. Designed to carry nuclear warheads up to 5,000 kilometers, this missile can strike not only neighboring countries like China and Pakistan, but also the Middle East, Central Asia, and even parts of Europe. While New Delhi celebrates this as a demonstration of military might, the reality is more sobering: India’s reckless pursuit of advanced nuclear weapons, despite glaring domestic vulnerabilities, is a cause for alarm both regionally and globally.

The contrast between India’s soaring defense ambitions and the deprivation of its citizens is stark. While the government boasts of developing missiles capable of hitting targets thousands of kilometers away, 75 million Indians still live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $2.15 a day, according to the World Bank. Over 350 million people—one in four Indians—live below minimum living standards, struggling to access clean water, food, healthcare, and education.

It is telling that in states like Bihar and Rajasthan, children still walk miles daily just to fetch drinking water, while New Delhi pours billions into missile programs. India’s defense budget rose by 9.5% in 2025–26, consuming nearly 2% of GDP, with a significant chunk allocated to high-end weapon systems—Agni-5, fighter jets, radars—rather than essential social sectors. Such priorities expose a troubling imbalance: military grandeur takes precedence over basic human needs.

India’s nuclear ambitions are not just problematic for its citizens; they also present a serious international security risk. Despite being one of the world’s largest nuclear powers, India’s nuclear facilities have repeatedly come under scrutiny for inadequate security measures. Poor vetting of personnel, weak monitoring systems, and a history of nuclear thefts have raised concerns about the safety of its stockpiles. Reports of uranium theft and smuggling in India are frequent. Each such incident raises fears of nuclear material falling into the hands of terrorists. This is not a theoretical concern but a pressing global danger—given India’s porous internal security and rising extremist violence, the possibility of nuclear terrorism cannot be ruled out.

The Agni-5 missile is not about national defense—it is about intimidation. With its extended range, the missile can target China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Iran, and deep into Central Asia, including Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Its coverage even extends into the Middle East, threatening countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Iraq, Israel, and Turkey. Such expansive reach reflects an ambition far beyond legitimate security concerns. It projects India’s intention to assert itself as a global nuclear power at the expense of regional stability. This militaristic ambition undermines the fragile trust in South Asia, already one of the world’s most volatile nuclear flashpoints.

India’s ruling elite presents missile tests as symbols of national pride, but the harsh reality is that such programs mask deep socio-economic inequalities. While the richest 1% of Indians control over 40% of national wealth, 90% of the population survives on less than $10 a day. Instead of bridging this inequality, the government spends billions on weapons that do not improve the lives of ordinary citizens. This is not merely a misallocation of resources but a reflection of distorted national priorities. Nuclear weapons cannot feed the hungry, build schools, or provide hospitals. For a country that claims to be the world’s largest democracy, the neglect of millions of its poor in favor of militaristic display is both unethical and unsustainable.

The reckless expansion of India’s nuclear and missile programs, coupled with its poor safety record, presents a risk not just for South Asia but for the world. A single accident, theft, or miscalculation could trigger consequences beyond repair. The accidental BrahMos launch of 2022 was a chilling reminder that nuclear-capable states cannot afford negligence. The international community must take note of this growing danger. India’s nuclear posture must be examined with the same scrutiny applied to other nuclear powers. The risk of nuclear terrorism, accidental launches, or reckless escalation is too severe to ignore.

India’s Agni-5 missile test is not a symbol of progress, but of misplaced priorities. At home, millions live in poverty, without clean water, healthcare, or education. Abroad, India flaunts weapons that risk global security and heighten tensions in an already fragile region. Missiles may project power, but they cannot build nations. By choosing militarism over human development, India endangers not only its people but also its neighbors and the wider world. The international community must recognize this reckless path for what it is: a dangerous gamble with nuclear weapons in the hands of an irresponsible state.