China bared its military teeth displaying a wide array of impressive missiles during a massive parade in Beijing on Thursday. The parade also sent out important signals to India, Japan and other Asian countries about China’s technology backed military power.

Speaking on the occasion, Chinese president Xi Jinping announced he will cut the size of the 2.3 million strong military by 300,000. This is seen as part of the country’s ongoing military modernization program meant to shift the dependence from men to computer driven machines.

India was represented by minister of state for defense, V K Singh, who was among the 50 countries that sent representatives. But it refrained from sending troops to march at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. Foreign soldiers came from 17 countries including Pakistan, Russia and Central Asian republics.

… “The exercise is focused on the domestic audience. The Communist Party is trying to tell the Chinese people that the nation has emerged stronger, and there is complete unity and sense of purpose,” Wu Fengshi, associate professor at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies in Singapore said.