PUNE: Army Chief of Staff Gen. Deepak Kapoor described Pakistan as being in “a state of decline” – one that continues to export terror even as it is fighting terrorism within. He also said the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LOAC) with China remains generally peaceful, contrary to what was being reported.
Kapoor was speaking about national security at the annual General BC Joshi memorial lecture at the Department of Management Sciences Auditorium at the University of Pune on Wednesday evening.
The army chief said Pakistan’s infiltrations into India has nearly doubled this year. And the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks had exposed Pakistan’s complicity in exporting terror, he added in his speech.
“The rise of infiltration this year is a clear indicator that while Pakistan may be wanting to fight terror within, it is pushing terror across our borders,” he said. “And the proliferation of nuclear weapons is a cause for concern.”
Speaking to the media, Kapoor said the increasing role that non-state actors like Al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) are playing have rendered traditional state boundaries less relevant. And this is posing a serious challenge to state authority and leading to realignments in India’s neighborhood.
Commenting on the relations with China, Kapoor pointed out that presently China is pursuing its long-term political goal of developing its comprehensive national power.
“Our multi-dimensional engagement with China is predicated on the recognition that these two rapidly developing and transforming nations need to come to terms with the rise of one another. It is in this context that bilateral relations, despite the unresolved border issue, have strategically grown.”
However, there is need to take note of the likely implications of the improvement of infrastructure in Tibet, rapid modernization of its armed forces, strategic initiatives in Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean region, proliferation of nuclear/missile technology to Pakistan and expanding military and economic relationships with countries on our periphery, which could impact India's security calculus in the long run, he added.
Shifting focus to terrorism and left wing extremism, he said that there has been a marked improvement in the security situation, primarily on account of the moral ascendancy gained over the terrorists by the security forces. In the North Eastern States, relentless operations by the security forces have kept the situation well under control. Most parts of the region are free of violence and normalcy has been restored, he added.
The disruptive activities and spread of Maoists in around 14 states poses a major security challenge. The government has adopted a multi-dimensional and integrated approach to counter this menace, he said, adding, “Since it is socio-economic class struggle, direct involvement of the army is not mandated.”
