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There seems to be no end to bad news for Indian security planners. But while most of it in the recent past has involved the US, the latest shock has come from a growing China-Pakistan arms axis which now threatens to grow into an extremely serious problem.
For several months the defence grape-vine had been abuzz with rumours. But confirmation came only last month that Pakistan has finally transferred five of its Chinese-supplied T-59 main battle tanks to five different tank manufacturers in the US and western Europe.
One T-59 each has been given to Royal Ordnance at Nottingham, UK, ASCO of Belgium, GLS of West Germany and Cadillage Engineering and Teledyne Corporations of the US. The companies have been asked by Pakistan and the Chinese arms trading firm NORINCO to upgrade the engine from 520 to 730 horsepower, give it the capability to fight in conditions of nuclear, bacterial and chemical warfare and to arm it with modern armour-piercing finstabilised discarding sabot ammunition, which the Chinese still do not produce. The companies have been asked to bring back the T-59 with modifications this year for competitive evaluation by the Pakistani Armoured Corps.
The motive behind this move is transparent. The Pakistani Army which deploys more than 1,000 T-59s is looking forward to modernising these under foreign collaboration while China is waiting for technology spin-offs. Indian experts point out that Pakistan has been making a determined bid to develop its own armament industry, which can only be done with Chinese help. According to Indian intelligence reports, it was with generous Chinese assistance that Pakistan held an international defence technology seminar from December 1 to December 3 at Wah cantonment. The list of subjects on the agenda makes telltale reading: armament design, metallurgy, explosives, ballistics and transfer of technology. Pakistan is already selling arms produced in its ordnance factories to other Third World nations.
Indian defence planners look at the T-59 move in the background of another recent development. The Chinese have made a formal approach to the US administration to help set up a joint China-Pakistan venture to build J-7 fighters, an advanced variant of the Soviet MiG-21 at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra. The Chinese are selling the J-7 to both Iran and Iraq. Many other Gulf countries have shown interest in what is billed by the Chinese as the only true' 'Third World lighter" - cheap and reliable with simple technology. Fortunately for India, there is still widespread opposition to this move within the US.
Though initially obscured by the more overt US-Pakistani defence relationship, this entirely new and dangerous equation between Pakistan and China is causing worry in New Delhi. From the Indian point of view, the development could have long-term consequences as serious as the supply of AWACS systems. F-16s or the Harpoon missiles to Pakistan.
The essence of the new relationship is the decision by China to use Pakistan as a springboard for its arms sales pitch in the Third World, particularly the Islamic countries. There are three motivating factors behind this. Firstly, the Islamic nations which have the cash and ambition to build their armed might provide the best market for Chinese arms of relatively older technology. And since Pakistan already has a flourishing business in training Islamic nations' armies, marketing could be that much easier. Secondly, by setting up factories in Pakistan, which is considered a frontline state by the US, it would be easier to get sophisticated western technology which may not be released for production in China. And finally, co-production would also free the Chinese factories of the burden of producing for Pakistan.
Indian experts say they are aware of this nexus and point out that it is part of a greater Chinese drive to acquire clout in South Asia. Using arms as a lubricant of diplomacy is nothing new to the Chinese. And today if they are Pakistan's main defence partners, Bangladesh forces flaunt at least 100 Chinese fighters, 40 tanks, several frigates, gunboats and a submarine.
More significantly, the Chinese have suddenly increased armament sales to the Sri Lankan Government. Last fortnight. Indian intelligence sensors did not miss the arrival of the first batch of 10 Yun-12 military transport aircraft to Sri Lanka. The next on the list could be armoured cars, something Sri Lanka needs badly against the Tamil snipers in the East and the North.
Thus even while there is calm on the borders, the Chinese armed dragnet is growing around India. A phenomenon India can hardly afford to ignore for, as strategists often say, military aid, like war, is an extension of a nation's foreign policy. And the Chinese foreign policy just now seems far from friendly towards India
China-Pakistan arms axis threatens to grow into serious problem for India : DEFENCE - India Today
For several months the defence grape-vine had been abuzz with rumours. But confirmation came only last month that Pakistan has finally transferred five of its Chinese-supplied T-59 main battle tanks to five different tank manufacturers in the US and western Europe.
One T-59 each has been given to Royal Ordnance at Nottingham, UK, ASCO of Belgium, GLS of West Germany and Cadillage Engineering and Teledyne Corporations of the US. The companies have been asked by Pakistan and the Chinese arms trading firm NORINCO to upgrade the engine from 520 to 730 horsepower, give it the capability to fight in conditions of nuclear, bacterial and chemical warfare and to arm it with modern armour-piercing finstabilised discarding sabot ammunition, which the Chinese still do not produce. The companies have been asked to bring back the T-59 with modifications this year for competitive evaluation by the Pakistani Armoured Corps.
The motive behind this move is transparent. The Pakistani Army which deploys more than 1,000 T-59s is looking forward to modernising these under foreign collaboration while China is waiting for technology spin-offs. Indian experts point out that Pakistan has been making a determined bid to develop its own armament industry, which can only be done with Chinese help. According to Indian intelligence reports, it was with generous Chinese assistance that Pakistan held an international defence technology seminar from December 1 to December 3 at Wah cantonment. The list of subjects on the agenda makes telltale reading: armament design, metallurgy, explosives, ballistics and transfer of technology. Pakistan is already selling arms produced in its ordnance factories to other Third World nations.
Indian defence planners look at the T-59 move in the background of another recent development. The Chinese have made a formal approach to the US administration to help set up a joint China-Pakistan venture to build J-7 fighters, an advanced variant of the Soviet MiG-21 at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra. The Chinese are selling the J-7 to both Iran and Iraq. Many other Gulf countries have shown interest in what is billed by the Chinese as the only true' 'Third World lighter" - cheap and reliable with simple technology. Fortunately for India, there is still widespread opposition to this move within the US.
Though initially obscured by the more overt US-Pakistani defence relationship, this entirely new and dangerous equation between Pakistan and China is causing worry in New Delhi. From the Indian point of view, the development could have long-term consequences as serious as the supply of AWACS systems. F-16s or the Harpoon missiles to Pakistan.
The essence of the new relationship is the decision by China to use Pakistan as a springboard for its arms sales pitch in the Third World, particularly the Islamic countries. There are three motivating factors behind this. Firstly, the Islamic nations which have the cash and ambition to build their armed might provide the best market for Chinese arms of relatively older technology. And since Pakistan already has a flourishing business in training Islamic nations' armies, marketing could be that much easier. Secondly, by setting up factories in Pakistan, which is considered a frontline state by the US, it would be easier to get sophisticated western technology which may not be released for production in China. And finally, co-production would also free the Chinese factories of the burden of producing for Pakistan.
Indian experts say they are aware of this nexus and point out that it is part of a greater Chinese drive to acquire clout in South Asia. Using arms as a lubricant of diplomacy is nothing new to the Chinese. And today if they are Pakistan's main defence partners, Bangladesh forces flaunt at least 100 Chinese fighters, 40 tanks, several frigates, gunboats and a submarine.
More significantly, the Chinese have suddenly increased armament sales to the Sri Lankan Government. Last fortnight. Indian intelligence sensors did not miss the arrival of the first batch of 10 Yun-12 military transport aircraft to Sri Lanka. The next on the list could be armoured cars, something Sri Lanka needs badly against the Tamil snipers in the East and the North.
Thus even while there is calm on the borders, the Chinese armed dragnet is growing around India. A phenomenon India can hardly afford to ignore for, as strategists often say, military aid, like war, is an extension of a nation's foreign policy. And the Chinese foreign policy just now seems far from friendly towards India
China-Pakistan arms axis threatens to grow into serious problem for India : DEFENCE - India Today
After two decades our T59 are upgraded to Al-zarar standards, we are about to retire J7 improved by our input and most of all now we have a jet of our own. The steps were surly in right direction 
