New Delhi: China-Pakistan military nexus is a matter of serious
concern for India, Union Defence Minister AK Antony said on Friday.
"The nexus between China and Pakistan in the military
sphere remains an area of great concern. We have to carry out
continuous appraisal of Chinese military capabilities and
shape our responses accordingly. At the same time, we need to
be vigilant at all times," he said at the Institute of Defence Studies and
Analyses (IDSA) founders' day event here.
However, the Defence Minister said India was hopeful
that China would reciprocate to its initiatives aimed at
mutual prosperity and understanding.
"India wants to develop a friendly and cordial
relationship with its neighbours including China. We continue
our efforts. At the same time, there are issues that are a
matter of concern to us," he later told reporters.
Slamming Pakistan for not
putting an end to terror groups operating from its soil, he said that country has
allowed them to thrive, demonstrating no will to act against
such outfits.
India needs to "closely monitor" the developments in
Pakistan, he said, noting "Islamabad must put an end to terror
activities emanating from its soil. However, the terror
infrastructure on the ground remains intact and is actually
thriving.
"Pakistan is yet to demonstrate any will to take
speedy action against terrorists and international criminals," he said.
Noting that India's profile was growing in the
international arena, Antony said other nations were expecting
much more from New Delhi for meeting some common challenges.
"We are making sincere and continuous efforts to
resolve long-standing issues with our immediate neighbourhood.
We have always striven for peaceful relations with all our
neighbours. As a vibrant democracy and a prospering economy,
we cannot ignore the security calculus in the region," he
said.
Antony said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's
willingness to resume dialogue with Pakistan must be seen in
the context of India's eagerness for peace in the region.
On the security challenges faced by India, the Defence
Minister said the government had already taken several steps
for capacity-building of the armed forces "to meet the new and
emerging challenges."
However, India will remain steadfast in its pursuit of
regional and global peace, he added.
Later, replying to a query on the recent test-firing
of Agni-II during night that failed, Antony said: "These types
of tests are many times successful and sometimes a failure. We
cannot expect success in all tests. We are absolutely
confident that DRDO will be able to finally achieve the target
at the earliest."
Asked if the failed test put a question mark on
India's nuclear deterrence, the Defence Minister rubbished it
saying: "It is absolutely not relevant."
-PTI
First Published: Friday, November 27, 2009, 19:29