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Published 13 Jan, 2013 03:03am

Indian air chief makes veiled threat

NEW DELHI: The Indian air force chief accused Islamabad of ceasefire violations on Saturday, warning that New Delhi might have to look at “some other options for compliance” if such incidents continued.

“We have a Line of Control (LoC), we have a ceasefire agreement, we have certain structures and mechanisms which are sacrosanct and any violation of these with impunity, especially what has been happening in the last few months, is totally unacceptable,” Air Chief Marshall N.A.K. Browne said while talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function.

“We are monitoring the situation carefully because if these things continue to be the way they are and these violations continue to take place, then perhaps we may have to look at some other options for compliance,” he said.

The IAF chief, who is India’s most senior armed forces officer, was asked about suggestions he had given to the political leadership on the situation on the LoC.

Refusing to explain the options being looked at by the government, he said: “Options are options. We do not discuss these options openly. If the violations continue, we may have to look at the whole issue all over again.”

On Friday, Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony had said that enough troops had been deployed along the LoC and the government was taking all steps to protect the nation’s interests and prestige of the armed forces.

By arrangement with Times of India

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