'Unease in China over emerging India'

NEW DELHI: A Pentagon report has said that China was concerned about strategic ramifications of India’s rising economic, political, and military clout.

“To improve regional deterrence, the PLA has replaced older liquid-fuelled , nuclear capable CSS-3 intermediate-range ballistic missiles with more advanced and survivable solid-fuelled CSS-5 MRBMs and may be developing contingency plans to move airborne troops into the region,” the report said.

The report also noted that China was investing heavily in road development along the Sino-Indian border to facilitate economic development in western China. “Improved roads would also support PLA border defence operations.” Despite increased political and economic relations over the years between China and India, tensions remain along the border, most notably over Arunachal Pradesh and the Askai Chin region. It be recalled that China had tried to block a $2.9 billion loan to India from the Asian Development Bank, claiming part of the loan would have been used for water projects in Arunachal Pradesh. “This represented the first time China sought to influence this dispute,” the Pentagon report said.

Turning to China’s cyberwarfare capabilities , the report noted that “in March 2009, Canadian researchers uncovered an electronic spy network, apparently based mainly in China, which had reportedly infiltrated Indian and other nations’ government offices around the world. More than 1,300 computers in 103 countries were identified.”