India has hit back at China over its assertion that deployment of the BrahMos cruise missile in the Northeast would have 'negative influence' on stability along the border, saying that assets deployed by it within its territory are of no concern to Beijing.
Triggering a war of words, PLA Daily, the official publication of People's Liberation Army, had on Monday warned that India's move could lead to “counter-measures” from China.
On Tuesday, top Indian Army sources told television news channel NDTV: "Our threat perceptions and security concerns are our own, and how we address these by deploying assets on our territory should be no one else's concern."
On August 3, the government had sanctioned induction of additional BrahMos supersonic missiles to be deployed in the Eastern sector to ramp up its capabilities along the border with China.
Defence sources had told the Press Trust of India that the government had cleared the fourth BrahMos regiment at a cost of over Rs 4,300 crore.
The regiment consists of around 100 missiles, five mobile autonomous launchers on 12x12 heavy-duty trucks and a mobile command post, among other hardware and software, sources had said.
The missile was under test by the Army and last known test of the missile in the Eastern sector was done in May, 2015.
The steep-dive attack cruise missile can hit enemy targets hidden in the shadows of mountains.
The Indian Army has already inducted three regiments of BrahMos in its arsenal. All are equipped with Block-III version of the missile. The land-attack version of BrahMos has been operational in the Indian Army since 2007.
The fire-and-forget BrahMos has the capability to take on surface-based targets by flying a combined hi-lo trajectory, thus evading enemy air defence systems. Fire-and-forget missiles do not need further guidance after launch.
Monday's report in the PLA Daily said: "India deploying supersonic missiles on the border has exceeded its own needs for self-defense and poses a serious threat to China's Tibet and Yunnan provinces."
It also warned India of increasing competitiveness and confrontation in the ties between India and China.
The article also said that other steps taken by India to increase its capabilities along with Indo-China border, such as the deployment of UAVs and Su-30 combat jets were part of a policy of "counterbalance and confrontation".
It also added that the missile range of Brahmos, which is 290 kilometres, "cannot threaten China’s deep zones".
Photograph: Ministry of Defence
