Pune: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has said that Pakistan's alliance with the Jihadi groups has serious ramifications on India's security.
"Pakistan unabated alliance with the Jihadi groups has serious ramifications on our security. This can lead to the possibility of Pakistan being a conduit for the eastward spread of fundamentalistic and Islamic ideologies," he said.
The Army Chief was speaking at an event organised by the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies of Savitribai Phule Pune University.
He also said that the neighbourhood continues to have 'proxy wars' in Jammu and Kashmir.
"This design entails employing non-state actors attempts are being made to expand infiltration attacks attempts across borders in other states as well along India's western frontier," he said.
General Rawat also said that the increasing presence of transnational actors in Pakistan in fundamental ideologies is a matter of great concern.
"This lends to complex dimensions to the threat not only to us but also for other countries of South and East Asia including China," he said.
He further said that the ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LoC) attempt to aid infiltration by the Pakistan Army post and the Trans- LoC actions are being and will be "continued to be responded to, proactively" by the Indian Army.
"We shall take all necessary actions to negate, mitigate and destroy elements involved in planning taking actions against India's security interest" General Rawat said, as per ANI.
He also said that India has threat from the Northern and the Western front and therefore the Indian Army has to maintain strong defence forces.
Significantly, on August 22, US President Donald Trump had hit out at Pakistan for providing safe havens to 'agents of chaos' that kill Americans in Afghanistan and had warned Islamabad that it has 'much to lose' by harbouring terrorists.
Trump, in his first prime-time televised address to the nation as commander-in-chief, had came down heavily on Pakistan for its support to terror groups, saying the country receives billions in US aid but continues to harbour militants.
"For its part, Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror. The threat is worse because Pakistan and India are two nuclear-armed states whose tense relations threaten to spiral into conflict. And that could happen," Trump had said.
He had said after a 'comprehensive review', it was decided that the American strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia will change dramatically.
Trump had said a pillar of his new strategy was a change in America's approach to Pakistan.
He had slammed Pakistan for its support to terror groups and had warned Islamabad of consequences if it continues to do so.
"We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond," Trump had said, as per PTI.
"Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbour terrorists," he had said, in an apparent warning to Pakistan.
(With Agency inputs)
