Antony reviews security scenario

NEW DELHI - Defence Minister A.K. Antony Tuesday reviewed the security scenario with the three service chiefs, the first such meeting after a controversy erupted over China refusing to welcome an Indian Army general as he had Jammu and Kashmir under his command.

Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar was also present during the meeting.

“A variety of issues were discussed, including the situation in India’s immediate neighbourhood,” an official said.

The China issue was also understood to have figured in the discussions.

Military ties between India and China have been thrown into disarray after it was reported last week that Beijing had refused to welcome Lt. Gen. B.S. Jaswal as he had a “difficult” area under his command.

Jaswal heads the Northern Command that guards the borders with China and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir. He was to visit Beijing as part of a routine high-level exchange.

As an immediate fallout of the Jaswal episode, three Chinese army officers have been denied visas. Two captains were to visit Pachmarhi and a colonel had been invited for a guest lecture at the National Defence College here.

On Friday, when the controversy erupted, Antony said the cancellation of Jaswal’s visit was “not the question of breaking ties.”

“There are occasional problems but that will not affect our broader approach,” he told reporters in Hyderabad.

However, informed sources said India-China military exchanges had been put on hold till the issue was resolved.

“We should not only introspect, but there is little point in taking forward defence exchanges unless this is resolved,” the sources told IANS.

The meeting called by Antony is also understood to have discussed the construction by China of dams and roads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.