Thiruvananthapuram: Defence Minister A K
Antony on Monday said it would be difficult to improve ties with
Pakistan unless it made "serious" and "sincere" efforts to
dismantle terror camps operating from its soil.
"The terrorist camps operating from Pakistan was the main
impediment to improve India-Pakistan relations," he said.
Noting that Pakistan was still pushing trained terrorists
into Jammu and Kashmir, he described it as a matter of
"serious concern" and that necessary steps were being taken
to prevent it.
As a policy, he said, India was not for any confrontation
with its neighbours. "We want to avoid strained relationships
with our neighbours and to improve ties."
To a query on avoiding middlemen in defence deals, Antony
said the government had been successful in its attempt so far
"to a great extent".
"Whenever there was a complaint, the government had acted
swiftly and ordered a probe," he said.
On the recent hijack of two ships with Indians aboard by
Somalian pirates, Antony said it was a matter of serious
concern.
"Even after the world community and marine forces of
nations, including US, Russia, China and UK..... these things
are happening. Indian Navy is also actively involved in the
anti-piracy operations on the Somalia coast," he said.
He added that since the pirates keep changing their
strategies, new strategies will have to be devised to tackle
them.
Bureau Report
