The government has turned down a request for an unscheduled visit by a top Chinese general who will be travelling to Sri Lanka next month because of prior engagement of denfence establishment.
Disclosing this to mediapersons here after addressing the country’s naval commanders at their biannual conference that began Tuesday, defence minister AK Antony on Wednesday said the Chinese general wanted to meet Indian officials. ?The general had wanted to know if he could stop over to meet Indian officials. We said already our hands are full. But he is welcome to visit India. Our relationship is friendly with China,” Antony said.
The request for a day-long stopover in the capital on June 1 had come from the Chinese army’s deputy chief, General Ma Xiaotian, who will be on his way to Sri Lanka. But India cited the defence ministry’s dialogues with Pakistan, Germany and Afghanistan from May 30 to June 1 to turn down the request.
Antony added, ?Then he suggested that we will have a structured dialogue very soon. That dialogue…the fourth round of defence dialogue at secretary level will take place very soon. They have agreed. That issue is now resolved.?
India and China are working on sending their defence delegations on bilateral visits, beginning with an Indian delegation led by a major general from Jammu and Kashmir in the second half of June. On the Indian delegation’s visit to China, Antony said there were some delays, but all issues had been sorted out now between the two governments.
?In the second half of June, an eight-member delegation led by a major general of northern command will visit China. That delegation will consist of members from Eastern Command and Central Command,” he said.
Responding to a query about the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, the minister said that it was a matter of anxiety for the global community in the wake of frequent terror attacks on its military establishments.
?Naturally, it is a concern not only for us but for everybody,? Antony said. ?Developments in Pakistan, especially in Karachi, are a matter of serious concern to us. We are closely monitoring and we are taking precautions also. But at the same time, we don?t want to overreact. We are also concerned about the developments.?
Asked if there were any specific intelligence inputs on terror threats, Antony said he would not share it in public, but assured the nation that the three armed forces were taking the necessary precautions and monitoring the situation constantly.