BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile which can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land
Highlights
- China shares new concerns about BrahMos missile in Arunachal
- Supersonic missile given by India to regiments along border
- BrahMos is advanced cruise missile made by Indo-Russian venture
India should focus on fostering peace "rather than the opposite," China has said today about Delhi's decision to put advanced cruise missiles along the border in Arunachal Pradesh.
On Tuesday, NDTV reported that the army dismissed Beijing's criticism of the BrahMos missile in the Northeastern state as India "exceeding its own needs for self-defense."
Asked about the missile plans, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said "We hope that the Indian side can do more to benefit peace and stability along the border and in the region, rather than the opposite."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping when he visits China next month to attend the G20 summit.
Army officials say the plan is to equip regiments deployed on the China border with the BrahMos missile, made by an Indo-Russian joint venture, as part of ongoing efforts to build up military and civilian infrastructure capabilities there. "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," said top sources in the army to NDTV earlier this week.
The BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile which can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. It can carry warheads weighing up to 300kg, and strike targets on land and at sea. It has been in service with the army since 2007 and is currently being tested for use by the Air Force's Sukhoi-30 fighters.
BrahMos Weapon System during the 66th Republic Day Celebrations on 26 January 2015 at Rajpath, New Delhi
China claims parts of Arunachal Pradesh as its own and both sides have contesting claims on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which is the defacto border between the two countries.