New Delhi: In an unprecedented exchange, China has sold Pakistan a high-tech missile tracking system that will allow the Islamic republic to improve its military development.
A report in the South China Morning Post did not divulge details of how much Pakistan paid for it but said that it had evidence of China supporting Pakistan’s developing missile programme.
The revelation comes just as India announced the successful flight-test of its precision strike BrahMos weapon, which is also called the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile.
Chinese authorities are said to have declassified information on the deal on Wednesday. The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said that China was the first to export such sensitive equipment to Pakistan.
A researcher with CAS also confirmed the development to the newspaper. “An optical system is a critical component in missile testing. It usually comes with a pair of high-performance telescopes equipped with a laser ranger, high-speed camera, infrared detector and a centralised computer system that automatically captures and follows moving targets,” the paper reported.
Not just the exchange of the equipment, Chinese officials also reportedly enjoyed VIP treatment during the three months that it took for them to assemble and calibrate the tracking equipment and also train the staff in operating it.
The researcher was quoted as saying that China had given a pair of eyes. “They can use them to look at whatever they want to see, even the Moon.”
This is not the first time that there has been an exchange of defence equipment and weapons between the two allies. Pakistan has previously got warships, fighters, short-range missiles from China.
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