INDIA and Pakistan traded missile tests and heavy artillery fire yesterday, raising tensions in the region in a continuation of their decades-old conflict.

While the United States is focused on the war in Iraq, the dual missile tests served as a reminder that the world’s other conflicts continue.

Hours after India said that it had test-fired its most sophisticated short-range missile, Pakistan responded with a similar test. India’s Defence Ministry said that a surface-to-surface Pirthvi missile with a range of 95 miles was successfully launched from the Chandipur test site in Orissa state, some 750 miles southeast of New Delhi. The missile can carry conventional and nuclear warheads of up to one tonne.

Within hours of the missile test India had also accused Pakistan of being involved in the murder of 24 Hindus — including 11 women and children — earlier this week in the disputed Himalayan province of Kashmir. The two countries also exchanged heavy artillery across the ceasefire line. Pakistan condemned the massacre and called for an independent inquiry.

Pakistan said that it was surprised by India’s missile test which came without warning, but reacted by announcing its own test-fire of an Abadali missile that can hit targets up to 153 miles inside India. “Pakistan has also test-fired a missile, but we informed India about it,” Aziz Ahmed Khan, the spokesman for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said. He said that common practice is for each country to inform the other before tests.

Analysts in Pakistan also said they feared that Delhi might be trying to take advantage of the US-led war in Iraq to try to increase tension over Kashmir.

“There is always the danger that India will try something while the United States’ attention is on Iraq. We would be foolish not to be wary,” Shireen Mazari, head of Pakistan’s Institute of Strategic Study, said after the tests.

Baljit Singh Menon, an Indian Defence Ministry spokesman, said that it was a routine test to improve the version of the Prithvi that would be used by the army, and described the launch as a “user’s trial”. He said that the missile was developed by Indian scientists.

The latest test came amid reports of renewed clashes between the rival forces along the Line of Control in Kashmir. Pakistani and Indian troops traded heavy artillery and mortar fire, wounding five Pakistani civilians. There were no reports of casualties on the Indian side.

Tension has increased after the massacre this week of 24 Hindus in the Indian-controlled region by suspected Islamic militants. India accused Pakistan of sponsoring the attacks.

The two countries became nuclear powers when they conducted a series of missile tests in May 1998. Both have since developed sophisticated systems and have a wide range of medium and short-range nuclear missiles capable of destroying each other’s main cities.

India’s arsenal includes the Trishul, a surface-to-air missile for attacking aircraft; the medium-range Agni, which can reach 1,500 miles; the short-range ballistic missile Prithvi with a range 95 miles; and the anti-tank Nag missile. Delhi has conducted 16 trials of the Prithvi, which was first test-fired in February 1988. Last month India test-fired a cruise missile jointly developed by Delhi and Moscow and capable of hitting several Pakistani cities.

Pakistan has Ghouri and Shaheen nuclear missiles that have a range of 1,500 miles and can hit targets deep inside India. It has commissioned short-range Hataf missiles capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons and is said to have received missile technology from North Korea and China.

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