India-Pakistan tension: Ex-PM Manmohan Singh advocates 'no war'

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday hoped that there would be no war between India and Pakistan amidst the growing cross-border tensions between the two countries.

Stating that on a day when India is grappling against Pakistan, the veteran Congress leader and former Prime Minister of India expressed hope that the two countries will resolve their issues.

The remarks come a day after India carried out air strikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) camp in Balakot in Pakistan. Subsequently, Pakistani jets violated the Indian air space by dropping some bombs in Rajouri sector in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

"Our basic problem is to get rid of chronic poverty. I do hope that we will get back to the economic development that is a basic requirement of both India and Pakistan," Singh added.

The former Prime Minister was speaking at the award ceremony of PV Narasimha Rao's National Leadership and Lifetime Achievement Award.

India said it has foiled an attempt by Pakistan Air Force this morning to carry out strikes in Jammu and Kashmir by shooting down an F-16 fighter plane while losing its own MiG-21 jet after which a pilot was "missing in action".