NEW DELHI, 11 June 2008 — Defense Minister A.K. Antony yesterday said there was “enough space” for India and China to mutually cooperate and develop, “while remaining sensitive to each other’s concerns.” He dismissed the possibility of India confronting China on certain longstanding disputes.
Answering reporters’ questions about some 150 alleged incursions into Indian territory by China’s Peoples Liberation Army in the past one year alone, including the recent controversy over the “Finger Area” in north Sikkim, Antony said: “We are not ignoring (these incidents). To a maximum extent, we will try to avoid confrontation. We are in the process of finding solutions to longstanding disputes with China, and the process is continuing.”
Antony made these comments yesterday after inaugurating a two-day conference of top commanders of Integrated Defense Staff drawn from the three wings of the armed forces. During his address, Antony said: “The agreement between the two countries (India and China) on peace and tranquility, the confidence-building measures and the MoU (memorandum of understanding) of defense cooperation need to be pursued by both nations.”
“Engaging China in a dialogue and trying to resolve outstanding issues is the right way forward,” he said. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s recent visit to China was “a step in this direction,” the minister added.
At the conference, Antony announced the formation of an Integrated Space Cell under the aegis of Integrated Defense Services Headquarters to counter “growing threat to our space assets.”
“Although we want to utilize space for peaceful purposes and remain committed to our policy of non-weaponization of space,” India cannot ignore the fact that “offensive counter space systems like anti-satellite weaponry, new classes of heavy-lift and small boosters and an improved array of military space systems have emerged in our neighborhood,” Antony said. The new cell will act as a single window for integration among the armed forces, department of space and the Indian Space Research Organization, he said.
Antony also announced the government’s approval of a defense informatics center, which will “cater to e-governance needs of the armed forces, Defense Ministry and other associated organizations.”
In addition, the defense minister announced the establishment of a Defense information consultative committee, which will synergize all information technology related matters in the Defense Ministry, the three services and various organizations.
He said while the security situation in the Jammu and Kashmir state and the northeast region has shown signs of improvement, “there is need to extend such synergy in functioning to counter the activities of independent modules that have linkages to terrorists in Kashmir and international terror networks.”
He feared separatists would attempt to disrupt elections in the state scheduled for later this year and said: “We will have to keep a constant vigil and intensify our efforts to ensure conduct of free and fair elections in an atmosphere of peace.”
On frequent requests from state governments for the deployment of army to help civil authorities to tackle law and order, Antony said: “This is not a good and healthy development in a democracy,” as such requests should come “only as a last resort when all other options have failed.” While it was crucial for India to focus on security requirements of the future, “we need to forge working partnerships to maintain equilibrium of peace and cooperation in the emerging world order,” he said.
