Agni-V can hit targets 8,000 km away, says Chinese expert (Lead)
April 20th, 2012 - 4:37 pm ICT by IANSBeijing, April 20 (IANS) Chinese military experts feel that there is more to India’s successful long-range nuclear-capable missile Agni-V than what New Delhi is saying. A Chinese researcher said the missile “actually has the potential to reach targets 8,000 kilometers away”.
Du Wenlong, a researcher at China’s PLA Academy of Military Sciences, told the Global Times that the Agni-V “actually has the potential to reach targets 8,000 kilometers away”.
Du added that “the Indian government had deliberately downplayed the missile’s capability in order to avoid causing concern to other countries”.
India Thursday test-fired the Agni-V missile that it said can accurately hit targets more than 5,000 km away. With this launch, India entered an exclusive club of nations that have this capability.
Zhang Zhaozhong, a professor with the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University, told the Global Times that according to China’s standard, an ICBM should have a range of at least 8,000 km.
“The Agni-V’s range could be further enhanced to become an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile,” he said.
Global Times, a state-run daily, said Thursday India may have missiles that can reach most parts of China but stands “no chance in an overall arms race” with the country.
The article, “India being swept up by missile delusion”, noted that India has moved rapidly in developing missile technology.
Criticising India, it said the country “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”.
It stressed that 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,” it warned.
- Agni-V can reach targets 8,000 km away: Chinese researcher - Apr 20, 2012
- 5,000-km Agni-V missile propels India into elite club (Afternoon Lead) - Apr 19, 2012
- 5,000-km Agni-V missile test in February - Nov 16, 2011
- India test-fires 5,000 km Agni-V missile, China cautious (Roundup) - Apr 19, 2012
- India swept by missile delusion: Chinese daily - Apr 19, 2012
- India creates history, tests 5,000 km Agni-V missile (Second Lead) - Apr 19, 2012
- India no rival, says China as daily slams 'missile delusion' (Lead) - Apr 19, 2012
- No cap on Agni missile project: India - Apr 20, 2012
- Agni-V missile successfully tested - Apr 19, 2012
- Indian missile test makes a splash in Pakistani websites - Apr 19, 2012
- India tests 5,000-km range Agni-V missile (Lead) - Apr 19, 2012
- Agni-V test in a fortnight: DRDO chief - Mar 31, 2012
- Agni-V, India's 'China Killer' (To go with Agni-V launch story) - Apr 19, 2012
- PM hails Agni-V milestone - Apr 19, 2012
- Missiles of the world - a look at countries' arsenals - Apr 19, 2012
Tags: agni, ballistic missile, capable missile, control treaties, delusion, disregard, global times, indian government, infrastructure construction, kilometers, launch, liberation army, military experts, military sciences, missile control, missile technology, missiles, national defense university, nuclear power, pla