China has offered to help Pakistan increase the range of its ballistic missiles in response to an Indian test of its Agni IV missile that can travel 4000 kms to deliver possibly a nuclear weapon.

An editorial in the state-owned Global Times newspaper of China said that if the UN Security Council has no objection to India producing intercontinental ballistic missiles "which can cover the whole world... let it be". However, "the range of Pakistan's nuclear missiles will also see an increase", it warns.

Beijing has long been suspected of helping Islamabad in its missile program which include both ballistic and cruise missiles.

The newspaper said that Pakistan should have "those privileges in nuclear development that India has" and warned Western countries which "accept India as a nuclear country and are indifferent to the nuclear race between India and Pakistan" that Beijing will not "stand out and stick rigidly to those nuclear rules as necessary".

Although China is "sincere in developing friendly ties with India", Global Times cautions that Beijing "will not sit still if India goes too far".