Observing that the Indian Army is the 'most active' in Asia, a leading official Chinese newspaper has alleged that New Delhi makes use of an 'invisible military budget' for key weapons acquisitions.

The top weaponry is purchased through 'invisible military budget,' the Global Times, a sister publication of the ruling Communist Party of China's official mouthpiece, the People's Daily, said in a special report on the Indian armed forces.

'The Indian army is undoubtedly the most active armed force in Asia today, allegedly stationing forces in Tajikistan, establishing surveillance stations in Africa, sending aircraft carriers to Bay of Bengal for exercise, etc. Indian army makes it to the military news almost every day, yet the outside world knows so little about it,' the paper, mostly read by intellectuals and scholars, said in a lengthy report based on interviews with Indian soldiers.

'It (the Indian Army) has top weaponry, but before a battle, its solders pray to their gods without exception; it has 1.3 million personnel in service, but you seldom run into one wearing military uniform in the cities; it is like a melting pot, but servicemen of different religious sects stare at each other when they meet,' the report said.

'If Indian society is the most sophisticated in the world, its army is undoubtedly equally sophisticated,' it said, noting that the Indian soldier is paid well, getting over 4,000 yuan ($527 US) per month.

'Because the enlistment pays well, applicants are many,' it added.