New Delhi: China has turned on a new radar in Yunnan province near the Myanmar border. The radar is tabbed a Large Phased Array Radar, or LPAR. It can see over 5,000 kilometers away. Defense experts said that it can track India's ballistic missiles and watch large parts of the Indian Ocean. India sees this as a serious security threat.
What can this radar do?
The radar can snift ballistic missiles from far away. It can track their flight path and can gather technical data well-nigh them. The range is over 5,000 kilometers. From Yunnan, China can now watch India's eastern region, the Bay of Bengal, and a big part of the Indian Ocean.
Why is India worried?
The radar can monitor missile tests. India tests missiles from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam missile test range in Odisha. India tests Agni-5, K-4, and other modern missiles there. If China gets the flight data from these tests, they can understand the missiles better. They can build defense systems versus them. That's why this radar is a strategic threat to India. Defense experts said that the missile test data is crucial. It tells you how powerful a missile is. It helps you diamond countermeasures. China having this data could transpiration the military wastefulness in the region.
Why is the Indian Ocean important?
The Indian Ocean matters a lot to India. The Indian Navy has a strong presence there. Major global shipping routes pass through these waters. Trade is important. Now China can watch all this activity. This increases India's security concerns.
Does China once have other radars?
China once has long-range radars in Xinjiang and Korla. Now with the new radar in Yunnan, China's surveillance network got stronger. The coverage is bigger. The monitoring sufficiency increased. No official statements from either side yet. But defense experts are paying attention. They expect problems ahead.
What should India do?
Defense experts think India needs to upgrade its anti-surveillance technology withal with needs to strengthen its defense systems. The next phase will require increasingly investment in military preparedness. India has to transmute to this new threat from China and make the counterpart accordingly.
