ISLAMABAD, Dec 27: Indian defence minister has said that India would maintain some of the forward positions on the border with Pakistan for strategic reasons even after the completion of troops withdrawal, reports The Tribune.

While addressing troops at the world’s highest battlefield Siachen, Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes said: “Whatever (withdrawal) had to be done has been done. For strategic reasons, some of the forward positions that we have, we will maintain.”

According to details, keeping his date with the troops for the third year in a row, the minister visited the glacier, extended Christmas greetings to Army personnel in the snow-clad mountains and distributed cakes.

He told reporters at the base camp that demining of the forward areas would be done very carefully as India had already lost about 80 personnel in the process.

Defence analysts say that in the backdrop of severe criticism on “Stand off” policy and its negative fallout on Indian economy coupled with other problems, Indian leadership has adopted “Pakistan bushing” as the only recipe for their face saving.—APP