India should not give the excuse of a for increasing defence preparedness,

Beijing: The Chinese mouthpiece ‘Global Times’ remarked that India should not use China, as an excuse, for increasing its defence preparedness. The Indian media have claimed that India is expanding its level of defence preparedness as the threat following the Chinese naval deployment in the Indian Ocean has increased. However, the Chinese mouthpiece clarified that this deployment is only for the security of the Chinese freight movements through this region.

A recently published report claimed that India was planning to buy warships worth $ 2.2 billion. India has also drawn up a plan, for modernisation of the defence forces, with a cost outlay of $ 250 billion. The Chinese intrusion in the Indian Ocean is posing challenges to Indian security. The Indian media have been claiming that this modernisation exercise is to counter this challenge. This issue has been distorted. If India intends to increase the level of defence preparedness, China will only welcome it and as per Global Times, forwarding the excuse of Chinese threat for this is incorrect.

The Chinese goods destined for Europe, Middle East and African countries, pass through the Indian Ocean. The Chinese warships have been deployed here, for the security of these freight movements. The security situation in the Indian Ocean is not of the highest degree. Therefore, China has to make these deployments. Global Times claimed that because of these Chinese deployments the freight movements, not only of China but other countries also are secured.