‘India to send Rafale planes with nukes against China, Pak’

BEIJING: India will deploy the recently bought Rafale combat jets capable of carrying tactical nuclear warheads near disputed regions with Pakistan and China as New Delhi continues to be the largest arms buyer in the world, the Chinese state media predicted on Friday.

The jets are capable of carrying tactical nuclear warheads, which means India’s nuclear deterrence capability will be enhanced, an article published in nationalistic Global Times tabloid said.

India recently signed a deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France for close to 7.8 billion euros ($8.7 billion). The delivery of the jets, which experts say will allow the air force to strike targets in Pakistan and China from within Indian territory, will begin after three years.

The deal is crucial for the Indian Air Force that is grappling with a dwindling fighter fleet.The IAF has 33 fighter squadrons, each consisting of 18 planes. It requires 45 combat units to counter a combined threat from China and Pakistan.

The Global Times article added China’s neighbours, including India, are “hyping” the so-called “China threat” and have gone on an arms purchasing spree - a move that has increased the import of Western-made weapons into Asia.

The report came against the backdrop of India’s strikes on terror launchpads across the Line of Control, India’s de-facto border with Pakistan. India has said the strikes on Thursday inflicted “significant casualties” on terrorists preparing to launch attacks in India.

Pakistan, Beijing’s “allweather ally”, has denied that Indian troops had carried out “surgical strikes” across the Line of Control, saying it had responded to “cross-border fire” from the Indian side that killed two soldiers and injured nine more.

The Global Times article, titled “Asia arms imports on the rise as India buys new jets”, is an indication that both the government and strategic circles in China - even if they were surprised at the Indian operations - are keeping a close watch on developments in the region, especially the escalating tension between India and Pakistan.