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India army says Pakistan deployed troops on border

by Sanjay Jha | January 14, 2009 at 09:28 pm

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In the wake of Mumbai terror attack Pakistan have been accusing India of amassing its troops along the border and planning to attack them.

Indian first time admitted that tensions with Pakistan have acquired a military dimension, that Pakistan has indeed moved its troops from the Afghan frontier to the Indian side, and that the threat of conflict is still very real.

While India still denies troop mobilisation on its part, it's military is clearly on battle alert. And it did not deny that some of its strike formations are not far from the border.

Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor indicated on Wednesday that the threat of conflict is not yet over and accused that Pakistan has pulled out troops from its Afghan border to beef-up its strength on the border with India.

India's army chief said on Wednesday Pakistan had deployed extra troops along their common border since the Mumbai attacks but India had not responded in kind.

General Deepak Kapoor said some Pakistani troops had come east. "They have come to the eastern border of Pakistan with India," he told reporters.

Pakistan's military has denied any build-up of forces on the Indian border and said it moved a "limited number" of soldiers off its western border with Afghanistan "for defensive measures" as tension rose with India after the attacks in Mumbai.

A near-daily exchange of tough words since the attacks on Mumbai has added to the tension as India, frustrated with what it sees as Pakistan's failure to take action, has tried to pile international pressure on Pakistan.

A senior Indian official also spoke on Wednesday of "some" troop movement on the Pakistan side, adding that New Delhi had been careful not to respond in a similar fashion.

Kapoor said India did not want to whip up war hysteria but noted its armed forces were in a state of full preparedness.

"Let me assure you the Indian army has factored this part in its planning, if at any time, any operations have to be undertaken," he said.