India's security environment complex: Parrikar

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IANS New Delhi
Last Updated : Sep 01 2015 | 8:22 PM IST

India's security environment was complex, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Tuesday, while Indian Army chief General Dalbir Singh noted that the borders were active with infiltration bids and ceasefire violations.

"The security environment today is complex... (We) need to be vigilant all the time," Parrikar said at a tri-services seminar here to commemorate the 1965 India-Pakistan war.

General Dalbir Singh, meanwhile, said frequent ceasefire violations and infiltration bids by militants has kept the border in Jammu and Kashmir active.

He said that while new methods were being used to create unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, recent examples showed that there were attempts to extend the disturbances to other areas of the state as well.

"(Because of) the frequent ceasefire violations and infiltration bids by our western neighbor, the borders remain live and active. New methods continue to be employed to create unrest in J&K," he said.

"We are acutely aware that the swift, short nature of future wars are likely to offer limited warning time - this calls for maintaining very high levels of operational preparedness at all times," the general said at the seminar.

The defence minister, talking about the war, said Pakistan paid for its "misadventure" in 1965, and India clearly won that war although skeptics called it a draw.

"Skeptics call the outcome of the was as draw... But my own experience... as a nine-year-old when the war happened, listening to All India Radio, my impression was it was a decisive victory for India," he said.

He said Pakistan did "miscalculations" when it believed people of Jammu and Kashmir will support it.

"The people of the valley did not support the invaders, they provided critical information to us," Parrikar said.

He said Pakistan thought it had an edge over India with latest weapons given by the US, and also underestimated India's political leadership.

"India gave a befitting reply to Pakistan's misadventures," he said.

The minister said India fought with less advanced weapons and equipment, yet won the war.

Vice President Hamid Ansari, Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee and Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and Indian Navy chief Admiral R.K. Dhowan were also present at the inaugural of the two-day seminar that will analyse the 1965 war.

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First Published: Sep 01 2015 | 8:06 PM IST

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