Balancing Act: India’s Growing Vulnerability Amid China’s Radar Expansion

Poonam Sharma

n a significant move that could have serious implications for India’s defense strategy, China has successfully constructed and commissioned a massive phased array radar system (LPAR) in its southwestern Yunnan province, near the Myanmar border. The new radar system, which boasts an impressive detection range of 5,000 kilometers, is poised to reshape the strategic balance in the region, with the potential to disrupt India’s missile defense programs.

This advanced radar, touted to be one of the most powerful early warning systems ever built, will give China unprecedented surveillance capabilities, covering most of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and even penetrating deep into Indian territory. From this site, China will be able to closely monitor and track India’s ballistic missile program, including launches from critical testing sites such as the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, located on India’s eastern coast, where the Agni-V and K4 missiles are frequently tested.

The radar system in Yunnan has been heralded as a game-changer in the world of defense technology. This phased array radar system offers China a comprehensive early warning capability, allowing it to detect and track ballistic missile launches within a 5,000-kilometer radius. This range would not only cover significant parts of India, but it would also extend across vast sections of the Indian Ocean, a region that is crucial for both India’s maritime security and its military planning.

With this system, China will now be able to monitor missile launches from India’s critical launch sites, including the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, which is home to India’s missile testing programs, such as the Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile and the K4 submarine-launched ballistic missile. Both of these missile systems are key components of India’s strategic deterrence and defense preparedness.

The radar system in Yunnan will allow China to keep a close watch on India’s missile activity, particularly its operations in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and the Bay of Bengal. This region is of immense strategic importance, as it is not only home to vital shipping lanes but also houses one of India’s most formidable naval fleets. By stationing this advanced radar system in such a strategic location, China will have the ability to monitor and gather intelligence on both land-based missile launches and maritime activities in the Bay of Bengal and the larger Indian Ocean.

The radar’s location in the southeastern part of China’s coast provides an ideal vantage point, allowing it to cover a vast expanse of sea and land. This includes critical areas where India conducts naval exercises and missile launches. The radar system’s coverage area extends beyond the Bay of Bengal, reaching deep into the Indian Ocean, a region where India’s naval and air forces routinely operate. By being able to track missile launches from India’s launch sites in real time, China gains a strategic upper hand in monitoring India’s military activities.

This new radar system in Yunnan is just one part of a much broader Chinese strategy to bolster its surveillance capabilities along India’s borders. China already operates phased array radar systems in its northwestern regions, including in Korla and Xinjiang, which give it the ability to closely monitor missile launches and military activities across northern India. These systems complement the Yunnan radar, creating a comprehensive network of surveillance assets that cover India from its southern coastline to the northern Himalayan borders.

The addition of the Yunnan radar system now provides China with the ability to monitor both northern and southern India, creating an extensive surveillance network that leaves little room for India to hide its missile operations and military activities. This move has raised alarms within India’s defense circles, as it will pose a direct challenge to India’s strategic deterrence and defense planning.

One of the most concerning aspects of this new radar system is its potential to be used as a Directed Energy Weapon (DEW). Experts suggest that the radar system could emit powerful megawatt-range pulses that could potentially disable or destroy incoming missiles by frying their electronic components. This capability, if fully realized, would give China an additional edge in countering India’s missile defenses, as the radar could effectively neutralize missile launches before they even reach their targets.

Such a use of directed energy could have devastating consequences, particularly for India’s nuclear deterrence. India’s reliance on missile systems like Agni-V, which are designed to carry nuclear payloads, is a critical aspect of its strategic defense. If China’s radar systems are capable of disabling these missiles in flight, it could effectively nullify India’s second-strike capability, which is central to its deterrence strategy.

The commissioning of this radar system by China is likely to have far-reaching diplomatic consequences, particularly in the context of the ongoing tensions between the two countries. India has long viewed China’s growing military presence in the Indian Ocean as a threat to its national security. The addition of this radar system further complicates an already tense relationship, with India now faced with the challenge of developing countermeasures to safeguard its missile defense systems and maintain its strategic deterrence.

India’s defense planners will now need to re-evaluate their approach to missile defense, as the enhanced surveillance capabilities of China’s radar systems could potentially allow Beijing to track and neutralize missile launches from Indian territory with alarming precision. As China expands its reach in the Indian Ocean and along India’s borders, India will have to find new ways to ensure that its missile systems remain secure and effective in deterring any adversary.

 China’s new phased array radar system in Yunnan marks a significant escalation in the ongoing arms race between China and India. With the ability to monitor India’s missile launches, naval operations, and military activities across vast regions, this system will give China a decisive advantage in terms of early warning and surveillance. The strategic location of the Yunnan radar, combined with the potential for directed energy weapon use, represents a serious threat to India’s defense infrastructure and its nuclear deterrence strategy.

As tensions between the two nations continue to grow, the international community will need to closely monitor developments in this region. India will undoubtedly need to enhance its own surveillance and missile defense capabilities to counter China’s growing presence and ensure its own security in the Indian Ocean region. The battle for dominance in this strategically crucial region is far from over, and the stakes have never been higher.