ISLAMABAD, July 14: Pakistan will not enter into an arms race, despite the recent 23 per cent increase in the Indian defence budget which it believes can increase sufferings of the South Asian people , Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Syed Tanveer Hussain said on Wednesday.

He was talking to media persons at the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club camp office where he read out a statement on behalf of Senior Minister for Defence Rao Sikander Iqbal in the backdrop of the recent increase in the defence budget of India.

"Though it is entirely an internal affair of India to increase its defence budget, however, we are very much concerned about this move as a neighbouring country", Mr Syed quoted the defence minister as saying at the press conference.

He also termed the increase in the Indian defence budget as unnecessary and reiterated that Pakistan will not engage itself in any forms of arms race. India announced a Rs770 billion defence budget on Thursday, a 23 per cent increase from the previous year, mainly representing some Pakistan-specific acquisitions and proposed modernization of its armed forces.

"We are quite concerned and unable to understand that why India has increased its defence budget because at present India has good relations with Pakistan," he said.