The Global Times, China’s state-run daily in its editorial titled ‘India needs to cool its missile fever’ has strongly reprimanded India over its Monday’s long-range ballistic missile test.
The Chinese edition of the Global Times says, India has broken the limits of the United Nations on its development of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missile.
Indian media had lauded the tests of the nuclear-capable ballistic missile, Agni-IV, which can travel 4,000 kilometers and carry a nuclear warhead, in the wake of an earlier successful test-firing of Agni-V that has a range of more than 5,000 kilometers.
The country's media were elated in their reports, stressing that India's tests of Agni-IV "covers entire China." "Agni-V can deter China."
China should realize that Beijing wouldn't hold back India's development of long-range ballistic missiles, it said and added that the US and some Western countries have also bent the rules on its nuclear plans.
However, Chinese don't feel India's development has posed any big threat to it. And India wouldn't be considered as China's main rival in the long run. It is simply believed that currently there is a vast disparity in power between the two countries and India knows what it would mean if it poses a nuclear threat to China. The best choice for Beijing and New Delhi is to build rapport.
“If the Western countries accept India as a nuclear country and are indifferent to the nuclear race between India and Pakistan, China will not stand out and stick rigidly to those nuclear rules as necessary. At this time, Pakistan should have those privileges in nuclear development that India has,” the editorial writes.
It added, “China is sincere in developing friendly ties with India. But it will not sit still if India goes too far.”
If the UN Security Council has no objection over this, let it be. The range of Pakistan's nuclear missiles will also see an increase. If the world can adapt to these, China should too.
“India should realize that owning several missiles does not mean it is a nuclear power. Even though India does become a nuclear power, it will be a long time before it can show off its strength to the world,” the editorial maintained.
