New Delhi: Pakistan will “feel the pain” of “adventurism” if it persists with ceasefire violations, India warned today as it said the country now has “sword” along with “shield” which existed earlier.
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, at the same time, said India is ready to have talks with Pakistan if it creates the environment for that.
He noted that for the last fews days, there have been just sporadic incidents unlike the “huge number” of violations by Pakistan earlier.
“... When Pakistan fires, either in International border, the BSF responds, they fire in LoC, the Army responds. Our conventional strength is far more than theirs and therefore if they persist with this, the cost to them would be unaffordable. They will also feel the pain of this kind of adventurism,” Jaitley told a news channel.
“...Ordinarily when Pakistan used to have (indulge in) these incidents, there was some response that we would have. But we always had a shield in our hand. This time we also had a sword in our hand,” Jaitley said.
Referring to the recent firing and shelling by Pakistan on the International Border and Line of Control, he said this time the violations were high and therefore the response had to be proportionate.
“When you cross the line, this becomes wholly unacceptable,” he said.
On dialogue, Jaitley said the government has never said it will not talk to Pakistan.
“Of course we are ready to talk. It is for Pakistan to create the environment for talk. That is the message which has been given to Pakistan”.
Pakistan will have to stop the “triggers” which upset the environment in which talks are held, Jaitley said, identifying the “triggers” as cross-border terror and tensions at LoC. “If they dilute their stand on these issues, perhaps you will have an atmosphere of talks,” he said. Referring to Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit's meetings with Kashmiri separatists ahead of Foreign Secretary-level talks two months back, Jaitley said it was an “extremely provocative” act.
“You can't be talking to the Indian state and simultaneously talk to people who want to break the India state.
“Therefore, a strong message needed to be given to Pakistan, and that is where the NDA government is a little different. We did give that strong message to them,” he said, referring to cancellation of the Foreign Secretary-level talks because of that.
He dismissed the recent sighting of ISIS flags in Jammu and Kashmir as “stray incidents of individuals”.
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