India wheels out new long-range missile in annual parade

The nuclear missile can hit anywhere in China.

NEW DELHI: India wheeled out a new long-range nuclear missile that can hit anywhere in China as it celebrated its Republic Day with a big parade Saturday.

India successfully tested last April the Agni V missile, which has a range of 5,000 kilometres and can strike across the Chinese mainland and even hit targets as far away as Europe.

The first appearance in the annual parade of the Agni V - seen as marking a significant upgrade of India's nuclear deterrent - came along with the display of other military hardware acquired as part of a massive modernisation drive costing tens of billions of dollars.

The parade along New Delhi's ceremonial Rajpath, or King's Avenue, also included floats marking India's rich diversity and a tableau marking 100 years of Indian cinema wrapped in reels of film and embossed with movie names.

Large areas of the capital were sealed off for the celebrations - a traditional show of patriotic fervour - where Bhutan's king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was the chief guest.

India's shorter-range Agni I and II were developed with Pakistan in mind, while later versions reflect India's focus on China as well. India and China have prickly ties and a legacy of mistrust stemming from a brief border war in 1962.

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