India’s missile test latest escalation of arms in Asia

NEW YORK: “India’s successful test on Thursday of a long-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead is the latest escalation of an arms race in Asia, where the assertiveness and rising military power of China has rattled the region and prompted a forceful response from the Obama administration,” said The New York Times report.
Indian leaders celebrated the successful test, “even as Pakistan and China reacted warily, amid growing international apprehension about the increasing militarization of Asia,” they write.
The Obama administration, while still trying to extract itself from Afghanistan, “is now cultivating alliances with Asian nations and redirecting its strategic and military focus toward Asia to manage China’s new military clout,” they write.
China announced double-digit increases in military spending last month, and some Chinese military leaders have accused the United States of trying to contain China’s rise.
Still, many Asian nations, spooked by aggressive Chinese claims on maritime rights and other issues, have welcomed a vigorous American presence in the region.
The Philippines and the United States began joint military exercises on Monday, including mock beach invasions along coastlines facing China, as part of a strengthening military alliance between the two countries. A contingent of American Marines arrived in northern Australia two weeks ago, the first of 2,500 troops to be deployed there under an agreement signed last year.
South Korea, which on Thursday tested a missile capable of striking any location in North Korea, has already moved close to the United States. Also on Thursday, officials from the United States and Bangladesh met in the capital, Dhaka, to discuss security issues.