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India capable of securing its borders, Parrikar responds to Asif's nuke threat

Parrikar's statement comes in response to Asif's warning that Pakistan will use its nuclear weapons if need be

Web Desk July 09, 2015

Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar PHOTO: ECONOMIC TIMES

Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday dismissed his Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Asif’s statement regarding the use of nuclear weapons and said India is capable of defending its borders.

"An answer to every question is not necessary, I am the defence minister of India not Pakistan and India is capable of securing its borders," Parrikar said.

Parrikar's statement came in response to Khawaja Asif's warning that if needed, Pakistan will use its nuclear weapons. “For the safety and security of the country, the nuclear arsenal that Pakistan holds can be utilised,” Asif had warned.

Read: India helping elements disturbing peace in Balochistan: Asif

Further, refusing to comment on China blocking a proposal in the UN against Pakistan on release of Mumbai attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Parrikar said, "The matter is related to External Affairs Ministry and the prime minister."

The Indian defence minister also said that cross-border terrorism had “come down”.

Responding to question on the possibility of Myanmar-like strikes, Parrikar refused to comment, saying "such things are secret and cannot be shared.”

Read: Evidence suggests India sponsoring terror in Pakistan: Defence minister

Last month, special forces of the Indian Army had carried out a surgical strike inside Myanmar after rebels had killed 18 soldiers in Manipur. The strike was carried out by commandos in coordination with Myanmarese authorities after receiving specific intelligence.

This article originally appeared on Economic Times

COMMENTS (15)

Jaspreet Singh Bajwa | 9 years ago | Reply We sikhs are pround Indians and are ready to die safegaurding our motherland

Mani | 9 years ago | Reply Boss, please realise the real facts on both sides the borders. till now, it seems in every sense of sensitive issues happened, pakistan has no grip on. nobody listens to it even its own political religious leaders, bureaucrats etc. what to say about its defence minister? Grow up sir. be mature enough to defend India over media in real sense.

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Kam | 9 years ago | Reply "India is capable of securing it borders" Headlines says it all. India has crawled back to its borders after nuclear threat. And that is good if India secures its borders than it dont need to accuse Pakistan of terrorism in India. Indians pay their taxes to India not Pakistan so its their redponsibility to keep their borders secure not any body else's. And when they cant they accuse Pakistan to hide their incompetence.

Peace | 9 years ago | Reply Meanwhile people are dying due to heat, drowning in poverty, corruption, abuse etc. Nuclear, my foot. Worry about basic necessities of life. Be glad you have been given a chance to breathe, have the semblance of life. And before you deem this a Pak or India issue, stop. You both have a crap load of issues yourselves. Go solve them. Get a life!

Abcd | 9 years ago | Reply Stop the pi--ing contest and spread love and peace.

Lakhkar Khan | 9 years ago | Reply @genesis: The only comedians are Modi and this Parrkar due. Pakistan did not start threatening India but India is provoking and threatening Pakistan. Listen to the recent statements made by Prime Minister Modi and Defense Minister Parrikar. They are making threats but have no guts to attack. One day make a public threat and next day calls Nawaz Sharif to wish him well on Ramzan. Coward Coward Coward….. Stop threatening others and you don’t have to worry about retaliation. You are talking about the polished in their behavior and humane in their outlook who drink their own waste?

genesis | 9 years ago | Reply Comically Pakistan is the only country which talks of using nuclear weapons as if it is a special toy which only Pakistan has,There are other countries which also have more powerful and sophisticated and original developed nuclear weapons but they do not talk about using them They are sophisticated in their talks and polished in their behavior and humane in their outlook.

Prabhjyot Singh Madan | 9 years ago | Reply Baig sir, we Sikhs are pround Indians of mother India. We will die defending it . What was done in 1984 was by congress and they have confessed too. India is United and one and the same. Sikhs are 13 % of the armed forces and proud Indians so relax....Rab rakha

Mahesh | 9 years ago | Reply @Baig, you think we have not been sleeping since the economic corridor was announced? I would say true, we had been laughing. China's stock markets lost about 30% in one month. Half the companies in their stock exchange have stopped trading. Many people are left with huge debts from margin accounts. You have to be wondering if you will get any investment at all.

Lakhkar Khan | 9 years ago | Reply It is more like putting India in its place than a threat. It is telling them to stop supporting terrorism in Pakistan. A 5 times smaller country can still turn the almighty India into dust. Get use to it.

Baig | 9 years ago | Reply Parrikar did not explain, how it would be secured. When large scale war will start, Sikhs and Kashmiris will also support Pakistan to get independence from India. Infact since China-Pakistan economic corridor announced, Indians are not sleeping.

Pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply Parrekar seems to not have anything to do and is probably just sitting around bored in his office. You are a government official now and cannot make sweeping political point scoring messages. Neither country is at war with the other so stop creating useless war hysteria.

Sameer | 9 years ago | Reply China and India both are nuclear powers, but we never give nuclear threat to China....bcoz we know we can fight conventional war with mighty China and win it too just like we won chola war in 1967... and having nuke weapons is not the criteria of being poweful nation....minnows gives nuke threat to others, just look at north Korea it has nuke weapons....and it also gives nuke threats to America like Pak gives to India.....but thing is minnows nuke threat doesn't matter......if next terror attack happens in India, then India will definitely make large scale attack ...we can afford nuke attack,,,but our massive nuke retaliation will be enough to finish it once it for all

Tepper | 9 years ago | Reply This rhetorical nuclear jargon is for Indians and Pakistanis to jump onto the comments sections and hurl abuses at each other. Does someone really think that nuclear weapons can be used? They will only be used to destroy others, not for its own security or welfare. How can one expect that the recipient of the nuclear attack will sit quietly and let the other life in 'welfare'? Pakistan will only use nuclear weapon if it sees no chance for it to exist, and wants India to cease to exist as well. So who's welfare are we talking about here?

Pranav | 9 years ago | Reply ''I am the Defence Minister of India, Not Pakistan'' this was the best line by Manohar Parrikar. And If Pakistan thinks by using Nukes -Lines it can threaten India, they are Day-Dreaming.

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