India Test Firing Long-Range Missile Capable Of Reaching China
India’s military will attempt to showcase its military might on Wednesday afternoon when the company launched an intercontinental ballistic missile that some analysts believe will be capable of reaching all the way to China. The missles called the Agni V and the countries leaders hope it can reach a range of 3,100 miles, far enough to hit Beijing and Shanghai.
A security expert tells the Wall Street Journal that if successful the test would narrow “the missile gap between India and China” and “potentially free up other short- and intermediate-range missiles for use against Pakistan.”
India is already capable of reaching Pakistan with its nuclear armed weapons, specifically the Agni III which can travel up to 2,100 miles, a distance to short to reach any major Chinese city.
In explaining the countries missile test an Indian defense analyst reveals to the AP:
“While China doesn’t really consider India any kind of a threat or any kind of a rival, India definitely doesn’t think in the same way.”
In fact a shift against China’s increasing military might isn’t just an issue for India, Australia recently requested US troops be stationed in Australia in order to assist in the countries defense following a build up of power by China throughout the Red Sea and reports that China would increase defense spending in 2012 by 11.2 percent.
In the meantime the 57-foot tall Agni V is capable of carrying a 1.5-ton nuclear warhead and is believed to have cost $486 million to build.
If today’s test is successful India’s military will carry out 4-5 more tests and if those tests are also successful the country should have the missiles fully operational by 2014.
