India has “broken” UN limits on nuclear arms and long-range missiles and Pakistan should also be accorded the same “privilege”, state-run Chinese media said as it criticised New Delhi for carrying out Agni-IV and V missile tests whose range covers the Chinese mainland.
“India has broken the UN’s limits on its development of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missile,” Global Times said in its editorial.
“The US and some Western countries have also bent the rules on its nuclear plans. New Delhi is no longer satisfied with its nuclear capability and is seeking intercontinental ballistic missiles that can target anywhere in the world and then it can land on an equal footing with the UN Security Council’s five permanent members,”
“India is ‘promising’ in vying for permanent membership on the UN Security Council as it is the sole candidate who has both nuclear capability and economic potential,” .
“China should realise that Beijing wouldn’t hold back India’s development of long-range ballistic missiles,” it said apparently highlighting China’s limitations in restricting India developing a nuclear and missile deterrence against Chinese military power.
Agni-V, a 5,000-km range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), is widely regarded as a strategic missile targeted at China as it can reach almost all parts of the Chinese mainland.
The editorial said that “Chinese don’t feel India’s development has posed any big threat to it”.
