TIA correspondent
NEW DELHI: Defence Minister A.K.Antony on Monday said that certain elements in the Pakistani secret agency ISI were training the infiltrators to sneak into India through Jammu and Kashmir LoC. Talking to newspersons after a seminar of Coast Guard Commanders here, the minister said that 42 terror training camps are operating on the soil of Pakistan across the LoC. He informed that ISI are now training women terrorists for carrying out attacks in India.
On a question about China showing Arunachal Pradesh as Chinese territory in its map, Antony asserted that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India. In reply to a question on security threats during US President Barack Obama’s forthcoming visit, the Minister said that India is capable of taking on any level of security threat.
Earlier, inaugurating the Conference the minister said that the government is committed to enhance the force levels in the Coast Guard and it will be one of the best in the coming years.
He said, Pakistan did not appear to give up India-centric posturing. He observed that as long as the terror infrastructure across the border continues to flourish, vigil has to be maintained on the developments in Pakistan. The Defence Minister reiterated that terrorism will have to be crushed with all might. He said, violence has shown signs of abating in Jammu and Kashmir but the security situation in the ‘Af-Pak’ region continues to be a cause for concern.
Pointing out that fighting terrorism cost the nation substantially, the Defence Minister reiterated that we will crush terrorism with all our might. Shri Antony said that violence has shown signs of abating in Jammu and Kashmir due to the constant vigil by the Army.
“The Army has been quite successful in countering the proxy war and in minimising the incidents of terror,” Shri Antony said, adding, “Still, as long as the terror infrastructure across the border continues to flourish, we cannot afford to drop our guard”.
The Defence Minister said that the security situation in the ‘AfPak’ region continues to be a cause for concern. “Despite the physical and material costs, India has at all times, advocated peace and stability with all nations – including our neighbours,” Antony said. “The volatile political situation in our immediate neighbourhood has the potential of having a debilitating impact on the region. India’s role in preserving peace and stability thus, becomes all the more important,” he added.
Calling upon the Armed Forces to maintain a high level of operational readiness, Antony stressed that the Government remains committed to modernisation and indigenisation.
The Defence Minister underlined the need for probity and transparency in defence deals. “I wish to strongly reiterate that we must adopt ‘Zero Tolerance’ towards corruption in letter and spirit. Even the slightest hint of corruption will erode the lofty image of our Armed Forces that the people of our nation have become used to,” Antony said.
