Agni V test firing: India's nuke capabilities not targeted against any nation, says MEA

 Maintaining that its strategic capabilities were not targeted against any particular country, India on Tuesday said it abides by all applicable international obligations and expects others do the same, while responding to Chinese reaction to its test-firing of Agni V missile.

"India's strategic capabilities are not targeted against any particular country. India abides by all the applicable international obligations and hopes that all other do the same. "India's strategic autonomy and growing engagement contributes to strategic stability," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

The Spokesperson's remarks came after Chinese Foreign Ministry hoped that India's test-firing of the nuclear-capable Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile that could cover all of China complied with UN Security Council rules and safeguarded South Asia's strategic balance. Even as Beijing maintained that the two nations are "not rivals for competition but partners for cooperation", it took exception to media reports that the successful test of Agni-V was meant to target China.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying in Beijing said," We have noted reports on India's test fire of Agni-5 ballistic missile. The UN Security Council has explicit regulations on whether India can develop ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons". "China always maintains that preserving the strategic balance and stability in South Asia is conducive to peace and prosperity of regional countries and beyond." India had yesterday successfully test-fired Agni-V, the country's most lethal nuclear-capable inter-continental ballistic missile with a range of over 5,000 kms that covers entire China which may also pave the way for user trial of the weapons system and its eventual induction into the Strategic Forces Command (SFC).