War hungry? Indian army's importance has diminished due to lack of wars, says Parrikar

Indian defence minister says soldiers face immense difficulties as people's respect for army has reduced in peacetime

Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday said the Indian army's importance has diminished because the country hasn't gone to battle in the past 40-50 years.

However, Parrikar clarified that his remarks should not be taken as endorsement for war.

“Soldiers were facing immense difficulties because people's respect for the army has reduced during peacetime, he added.

Parrikar added, “Two generations of officers have retired without seeing a war, but that doesn't mean the army should not command the respect it deserves, a country that fails to protect its army cannot progress."

Meanwhile, Indian minister of state for information and broadcasting responded to former president Pervez Musharraf’s nukes statement, questioning how he can enter India when he cannot enter his own house.

"General Musharraf saab cannot enter his own house how he would enter India," Rajyavardhan Rathore said on Sunday, referring to the treason charges against the former president.

Rathore’s statement comes days after Musharraf slammed India for ‘destablising’ Pakistan, saying Pakistan's nuclear weapons are for defence purposes and not for ‘celebratory’ occasions.

Musharraf claimed that India is planning a strategy to ultimately de-nuclearise Pakistan.

Read: Don't push us, we didn’t make nukes to fire on Shab-e-Barat: Musharraf

“We do not want to use nuclear capability but if our existence comes under threat, who do we have these nuclear weapons for? If I say in Chaudhary Shujaat’s style, do we have nukes saved to be used on Shab-e-Baraat?” he had told a local TV channel.

Musharraf’s statement came in response to Rathore’s earlier statement that Indian army’s operation in Myanmar should be construed as a clear message to all countries, including Pakistan, which are harbouring terrorist groups seeking to destabilise India. He said his country would strike whenever and wherever it wanted.

Read: After Myanmar strike: Indian minister issues not-so-veiled threat to Pakistan

Referring to Pakistan’s reaction to his statement, the Indian minister of state for information and broadcasting said, “We hit somewhere else, it hurt somewhere else.”

“We warned that whoever harbours terrorism should be afraid. So why Pakistan spoke up?" he added.