SOURCE: AFI
China has recently constructed a new Large Phased Array Radar (LPAR) site in Yunnan Province, near its border with Myanmar, signaling a significant enhancement to its ballistic missile early warning capabilities. This advanced radar system, reportedly boasting a range of approximately 5,000 kilometers, is poised to extend China’s surveillance reach across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and deep into Indian territory. The development has raised eyebrows in New Delhi, as the radar’s primary function appears to include tracking Indian ballistic missile tests—an escalation in the ongoing strategic rivalry between the two Asian powers.
The LPAR, a sophisticated ballistic missile early warning radar, represents a cornerstone of China’s expanding defense architecture. Designed to detect and monitor missile launches at vast distances, the Yunnan site’s 5,000-kilometer range covers not only the IOR but also much of South and Southeast Asia, including the entirety of India. This capability positions China to closely observe India’s missile development program, particularly tests conducted from facilities like the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island off India’s eastern coast, where ballistic missiles such as the Agni-V and K-4 are routinely launched.
The radar’s location in Yunnan Province, proximate to Myanmar, is strategically significant. Placed near the southwestern edge of China’s territory, it provides an unobstructed line of sight across the Bay of Bengal and the broader IOR—a critical maritime domain where India maintains a strong naval presence. This positioning enhances China’s ability to gather real-time intelligence on missile trajectories, speeds, and ranges, offering Beijing valuable data to refine its own missile defense systems and countermeasures.
The construction of the Yunnan LPAR comes amid heightened tensions between China and India, fueled by their unresolved border disputes along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and competing ambitions in the Indo-Pacific. China’s growing military assertiveness, exemplified by its deployment of advanced surveillance systems, aligns with its broader modernization efforts under President Xi Jinping. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has increasingly prioritized strategic situational awareness, with LPARs forming an integral part of its missile warning and space-tracking network.
For India, this development underscores the evolving threat posed by China’s technological edge. Beijing already operates several LPAR stations, including one in Korla, Xinjiang, which provides coverage over northern India. The Yunnan site complements this network, extending China’s monitoring capabilities southward and amplifying its ability to counter India’s growing missile arsenal. With India successfully testing the Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)—capable of striking targets over 5,000 kilometers away—and advancing its hypersonic missile program, the PLA appears determined to keep pace with New Delhi’s strategic advancements.
Large Phased Array Radars like the one in Yunnan are engineering marvels, featuring thousands of antenna elements that electronically steer radar beams without physically moving the array. This allows for rapid detection and tracking of multiple targets, including ballistic missiles and satellites, across vast distances. With a reported range of 5,000 kilometers, the Yunnan LPAR mirrors the capabilities of systems like the U.S. PAVE PAWS network, which can detect missile launches up to 5,600 kilometers away. Its deployment near Myanmar also raises questions about China’s use of neighboring airspace, a tactic previously observed in its surveillance operations over the IOR.
Beyond tracking Indian missile tests, the radar enhances China’s broader strategic posture. It strengthens Beijing’s early warning system against potential threats from the IOR, where the Indian Navy operates nuclear-powered submarines armed with ballistic missiles like the K-4. Additionally, the site bolsters China’s ability to monitor U.S. and allied military activities in the region, including bases in Diego Garcia and naval movements in the Andaman Sea. This multi-dimensional utility underscores the PLA’s ambition to dominate the information domain across Asia.
For India, the Yunnan LPAR poses both a challenge and an impetus for further innovation. The Indian armed forces have long tracked Chinese surveillance vessels in the IOR, which often appear during missile tests to gather intelligence. The addition of a land-based radar with such extensive coverage amplifies this threat, potentially compromising the secrecy and efficacy of India’s missile trials. In response, India may accelerate its own ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, which includes the two-tiered Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) and Advanced Air Defence (AAD) systems, designed to intercept missiles at ranges up to 5,000 kilometers.
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