A Communist Party-backed Chinese newspaper has quickly refuted a top Indian scientist’s claims that India’s ballistic missile defence technology is superior to that of China.
India is 10-15 years behind China in missile technology, Chinese Rear Admiral Zhang Zhaozhong was quoted saying on the Global Times front page on Friday.
The report was prominently reproduced across the Chinese media. “India’s technology for its measurement and control system, which is used to trace launched missiles, remains at a very low level, and they are unable to constitute a complete and reliable missile defense system,” Zhang said.
Zhang, also a professor at the Chinese National Defense University, said that China doesn’t consider India a strategic rival while developing military technology.
He was reacting to claims of India’s superior missile technology by V K Saraswat, who heads the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
“Some Indian politicians always depict China as an imaginary enemy in order to develop nuclear missiles and submarines, which only reflects their lack of confidence and dwelling on historical problems,” Rear Admiral Yang Yi, at the University of National Defense, was quoted saying. Last month, China successfully test-fired its first missile interception system.
“It’s still unknown when Agni-III will be deployed by the Indian army, though they claim the missile is ready for use. And it might take at least another five years to ready the Agni-V,” Zhang said.
{{/usCountry}}“It’s still unknown when Agni-III will be deployed by the Indian army, though they claim the missile is ready for use. And it might take at least another five years to ready the Agni-V,” Zhang said.
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