China displays sudden interest in the Agni-V

Beijing: In a bid to deflect attention from the increasing curiosity it's extremely ambitious military programme has been causing amongst nations the Chinese media has exhibited sudden interest in India's under-development, inter-continental, nuclear-capable missile-the Agni-V. A brief report in the People's Daily on the Agni-V emerges even as media coverage around the world focuses on the capabilities of the Chinese inter-continental missile, the Dong Feng-31A (East Wind), which made its appearance during China's National Day Military Parade on 1 October.

The startling reference to the Agni-V (Fire) may have to be seen in this context for China has come under extreme pressure from military powers around the world to be more transparent about its military expenditure and the development of its military power. Even as it seeks to cast its lot with developing nations in world economic forums,  China fails to provide adequate explanations where it finds the vast sums of money it dedicates to the development of military hardware which surpass the needs of any conventional military power.

Dong Feng 31A

What may have surprised Indian observers even more is that any discussion or reference to India in mainstream Chinese media is invariably in reference to developments pertaining to the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.So the reference to Agni-V is not only out of the blue, but also without any relevant context.

This is the report from People's Daily in its entirety:
''India's Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) has made its forthcoming Agni-5 missile highly road-mobile, or easily transportable by road, which would bring Harbin, China's northernmost city within striking range if the Agni-5 is moved to northeast India.

''The Agni-5 is similar to the Dong Feng-31A presented in China's National Day Military Parade in Beijing . India is going to test-fire the missile in early 2011.