Sir Creek is very important for national security: Defence Min Sitharaman

I am going up to Sir Creek today to see what requires to be done for the defence of Gujarat border: Sitharaman

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said Sir Creek, located on the Gujarat border with Pakistan, is a "very important place" for national security, particularly Gujarat's security.

The minister said she would visit Sir Creek to ascertain what needs to be done for the defence of Gujarat's border and spend some time with the security force personnel posted there to boost their morale.

"I am going up to Sir Creek today to see what requires to be done for the defence of Gujarat border. Sir Creek is a very important place not only for the national security but particularly for Gujarat's security," Sitharaman told reporters at the BJP headquarters here.

"Our forces are doing a very good work in Sir Creek. I will spend time with them and boost their morale," she said.

"During the 2012 Gujarat Assembly elections, the Centre (UPA government) wanted to do something about Sir Creek. At that time even during the campaigning, then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi was worried about it as it concerned Gujarat's security and had taken up that issue," she said.

"Today, I am privileged to go to Sir Creek as a defence minister," Sitharaman said.

Ninety-six-kilometre-long Sir Creek is a tidal estuary on the Indo-Pak border and opens up into the Arabian Sea.

The two sides have discussed the land boundary in the Sir Creek area and also delimitation of International Maritime Boundary between India and Pakistan.

They have expressed their desire to find an amicable solution to the Sir Creek issue through sustained and result- oriented dialogue.