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Pakistan warns against ‘massive’ Indian arms build-up

By on Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Islamabad: Pakistan voiced concern Wednesday over a "massive" arms build-up by rival India, warning that it could destabilize the regional balance.

The National Command Authority (NCA), which oversees the country's nuclear assets, at a meeting took note of developments "detrimental" to the objectives of strategic stability in the region, an official statement said.

"India continues to pursue an ambitious militarisation programme and offensive military doctrines," the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said.

"Massive inductions of advanced weapon systems, including installation of ABMs (anti-ballistic missiles), build-up of nuclear arsenal and delivery systems... tend to destabilise the regional balance," it said.

"This relentless pursuit of military preponderance will have severe consequences for peace and security in South Asia as well as for the Indian Ocean region. Pakistan cannot be oblivious to these developments."

Pakistan conducted nuclear weapons tests in May 1998 in a tit-for-tat response to similar detonations by India.

The two countries have fought three wars since their independence in 1947, two of them over Kashmir, which is divided between the South Asian neighbours and claimed in full by both.

Tension between the two flared in the wake of the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, which India blamed on Pakistan-based militants.

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