ISLAMABAD, Jan 22: The new Indian army chief’s reported statement that his troops could be redeployed against Pakistan at a short notice, reveals just how India foils Pakistan’s efforts at establishing tension-free and peaceful bilateral relations between the two largest South Asian neighbours, official sources said here on Monday.

Indian Army Chief, Gen Nirmal Chand Vij, was quoted last week in a section of the Indian press as having told his former army colleague Major General Ashok Mehta in an interview that his (Vij’s) troops could be recalled at a short notice “as the score with Pakistan has not been settled”.

Gen Vij, who took over command on the New Year day, is reported to have been the architect of the so-called Kargil operation which, according to some independent reports, led to heavy casualties of Indian troops.

The sources regretted that the Indian leadership was still bent upon pursuing an intransigent and militant course instead of following the time-honoured strategy of resolving contentious issues through peaceful negotiations.

Statements such as the one reportedly made by Gen Vij had further vitiated the political climate in South Asia which had been getting from bad to worse since the famous Agra talks, the sources said.

The Pakistan leadership had succeeded, according to some impartial political observers and senior journalists, in nearly clinching a landmark joint declaration which, in due course of time, might have put the subcontinent on a conciliatory path.