M A I N   N E W S

MoD report slams Pak, cautious on China
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

Defence annual report

Expresses concern at the worsening situation in Pakistan Says it was “conscious of China’s rapid military modernisation in Tibet Underlines India’s move to equip the Indian Army with the BrahMos missile

New Delhi, March 29
Indian Defence Ministry today expressed concern at the worsening situation in Pakistan, calling terrorism a “threat to Pakistan and to the region”. India has exercised exemplary restraint in the face of the gravest provocation, said the ministry as it released the excerpts of its Annual report for the year 2009-10 here this evening.

On the other hand, the ministry treaded the middle path on China saying, it was “conscious and alert” of China’s rapid military modernisation in the Tibet region bordering India. “Necessary steps” have been taken to upgrade infrastructure and force levels …along the northern borders.

Separately, the report underlined India’s move to equip two regiments of the Indian Army with the supersonic cruise missile BrahMos and also the setting up of an Integrated Space Cell (ISC) to act as the nodal point for all space-related activities of the three Services. The DRDO will shortly conduct the 4th flight test of the long range Agni - III missile, capable of carrying a 1500 kg war head, informed the ministry.

Slamming Pakistan, it said India was concerned with the worsening security situation inside Pakistan as it is with the continuing infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir. The incidents of terrorism within Pakistan targeting the security establishment and senior military personnel underlined the serious threat to Pakistan itself and to the region. Continued infiltrations and presence of terrorist camps across the border, demonstrate the continuing ambivalence of Pakistan in its actions against terrorists.

Infiltration attempts continued in the year. As many as 33 infiltration bids were foiled. “Pakistan needs to take effective steps to address India’s concern on terrorism,” it said while adding that dialogue with Pakistan was possible only in an environment free of terror or threat of terror.

On China, the regular mechanism for exchanges in the military sphere has been established through the ongoing confidence-building measures between the armed forces of both countries and other military interactions.