Union minister and former Army chief V K Singh Tuesday said India had to conduct airstrike on a Jaish terrorist camp in Pakistan as Islamabad was given several opportunities to take action on terror-related activities promoted from Pakistani soil, but it "did not".
Asked about Pakistan's reaction that Islamabad now has a "right to respond in self-defence", Singh, said, "I have nothing to say on that, but whatever they do, they should do it after thinking carefully."
India struck Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) biggest camp in Pakistan early Tuesday in a major "preemptive" action killing a large number of terrorists and trainers of the Pak-based terror group preparing to carry out suicide attacks in this country, a top official said.
India struck Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) biggest camp in Pakistan early Tuesday in a major "preemptive" action killing a large number of terrorists and trainers of the Pak-based terror group preparing to carry out suicide attacks in this country, a top official said.
"Pakistan was given several opportunities and told to take action on terror-related activities promoted from its soil. They did not take action," Singh told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.
"The expected action did not happen from their (Pakistani) side, so India had to do something from our own side to reign in those elements," he said.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Tuesday said India has committed "aggression" by violating the Line of Control (LoC) and Islamabad has the "right to self-defence".
Earlier in the day, giving details of the "intelligence-led operation" at a press conference here, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said "credible intelligence" was received that the JeM was planning to carry out other suicide attacks in India after the Pulwama bombing on a Central Reserve Police Force convoy 12 days ago that killed 40 jawans.
"Credible intelligence was received that JeM was attempting another suicide terror attack in various parts of the country and the fidayeen jihadis were being trained for this purpose," he said.
"In the face of imminent danger, a preemptive strike became absolutely necessary," Gokhale said.
In an intelligence-led operation in the early hours today, India struck the "biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot", he said.
Singh earlier addressed a gathering at a seminar on China's Economy and its Implications at the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra here.
"If the economy grows the way, it is growing, China will be able to dominate a large market," Singh said.
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