China warns India of arrogance over missile launch

The editorial was published after India claimed its successful test of the Agni V meant it had joined the elite group of countries with intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities Photo: AP 

 India has been warned against arrogance in its relations with Beijing following its successful launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking any city in China. 20 Apr 2012 

By Dean Nelson, 

New Delhi 

The Telegraph (UK) 

It has spent heavily on military expansion despite its poverty on an arms race it cannot win, according to an editorial in China's state-controlled Global Times newspaper. 

The editorial was published after India claimed its successful test of the Agni V meant it had joined the elite group of countries with intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities. The missile can hit any city within 3000 miles with a nuclear war head. 

The aggressive tone taken by the Global Times contrasted with the official reaction of its foreign ministry which said India and China were not rivals but "co-operative partners. We should cherish the hard-earned momentum of co-operation," said its spokesman Liu Weimin. 

But Beijing's state-controlled media reacted more aggressively, accusing India of nuclear proliferation in breach of international treaties. "India is still poor and lags behind in infrastructure construction, but its society is highly supportive of developing nuclear power and the West chooses to overlook India's disregard of nuclear and missile control treaties. 

The West remains silent on the fact that India's military spending increased by 17 per cent in 2012 and the country has again become the largest weapons importer in the world. 

 "India should not overestimate its strength. Even if it has missiles that could reach most parts of China, that does not mean it will gain anything from being arrogant during disputes with China. India should be clear that China's nuclear power is stronger and more reliable. For the foreseeable future, India would stand no chance in an overall arms race with China," the editorial claimed. It also warned India against serving the interest of the United States and other western partners in seeking to "contain" China's expansion. 

 "India should also not overstate the value of its Western allies and the profits it could gain from participating in a containment of China. If it equates long range strategic missiles with deterrence of China, and stirs up further hostility, it could be sorely mistaken," it warned.