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India watching situation along international border

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

India is watching the situation along the international border and Line of Control in the wake of Pakistan's recent announcements and will respond accordingly, Army chief General V P Malik said on Wednesday. He was responding to a query on Pakistan chief executive Pervez Musharraf's assertion that the troop presence along the LoC would not change due to the unilateral reduction of troops declared.

Refusing to elaborate, the army chief said, "We are assessing the situation along the border and after that we will respond." Army sources said the field units have reported minor movements of small detachments from some "areas along the international border", but these movements "are no substantive withdrawal".

Pakistan on Tuesday had ruled out any possibility of troop withdrawal from the LoC and regretted India's "negative response" to its offer for an unconditional resumption of dialogue. Foreign Secretary Shamshad Ahmed said in Islamabad that the situation along the LoC is different from that along the international border, where from troops were being withdrawn. He had claimed that under the present circustances of "shelling and indiscriminate firing" by Indian troops "it is not prudent to lower our guards".

The army chief indicated that once the field units had finished their assessment, the Indian army may respond to the "evolving situation". In the wake of the Kargil conflict, army units had been moved to the international border. And, in the wake of the military coup, the withdrawal of troops from there had been put on hold.

The army chief was speaking on Wednesday at the unveiling of an online memorial (www.indiamail.co.in) for those who died at Kargil. General Malik said the memorial is a "pious remembrance to the valiant sons of our great country". He also hoped the stories of the Kargil heroes would "inspire and enthuse our people to emulate their courage, resolve and determination towards building a stronger India".

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