No defence ties with China till ‘visa’ issue settled: India

PR RAMESH, ET BUREAU

TOKYO: India has told China that the defence ties that were suspended in July will continue to remain in the “pause mode” till the issue of stapled visa is settled.

The Indian decision came in the backdrop of increased engagement between China and Pakistan as well as Beijing’s increased economic activity in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. On its part, India has conveyed its uneasiness with the Chinese project as it goes against India’s stand that the region is being forcibly occupied by Pakistan.

New Delhi is of the view that China is not sufficiently sensitive to its concern.

China had recently refused to give a proper visa to Army’s Northern Commander Lt Gen BS Jaswal on the ground that he was serving in “sensitive” Jammu and Kashmir. Angry over this development, India had called off high-level defence exchanges between the two countries.

Sources said the Chinese side has been seeking resumption of defence ties. But New Delhi has conveyed to Beijing that it will remain on pause till irritants in the ties are removed. Indian leaders said the government is in no hurry to resume the ties.

The government, however, is not unduly worried over reports about construction of dam on the other side of Arunchal Pradesh. Sources said its investigations have shown that there were no major activities on the other side of the border. “Certain barrages are being built, but that it not disrupting the flow of water,” said sources.

A Pakistani Trainer Jet For The Indian Air Force?

Ahmed Quraishi

Here is a chance that India blew to send a strong message for peace with both Pakistan and China. An Egyptian diplomat based in New Delhi apparently offered recently to help Indian Air Force overcome its shabby pilot training program.

According to a report by the Indian magazine Business Standard, the Egyptian official offered a novel solution: An Egyptian Air Force training crew flown from Egypt to India to train Indian pilots using Karakoram-8, the multirole trainer jointly developed by both Pakistan and China and now used by a growing list of countries, including Egypt, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Namibia, not to mention the air forces of both Pakistan and China.