Pune: Holding that a "peaceful and stable" Pakistan was in India's interest, Defence Minister AK Antony on Tuesday said that the neighbouring country must initiate strong action against terrorist groups operating from its soil, in order to improve Indo-Pak ties.
"We are concerned about terrorist groups in Pakistan. They should take strong action against them which will help improve our relations," he told reporters here when asked whether change of government in Pakistan could spell a better relationship between the two countries.
Describing Pakistan as "our closest neighbour", Antony said Indian government wanted friendly relations with it as a "peaceful and stable" Pakistan was in India's interest. On Indo-China relations and border situation, the defence minister said, "the recent problem has been solved to the satisfaction of both the countries. We have a mechanism to sort out occasional irritants," adding, that there was a "highest level decision" to maintain peace and tranquillity along the border.
Both countries would also have joint exercises, he noted. Antony said notwithstanding the long standing border dispute, there were major areas of cooperation between India and China, also India's "largest trading partner". He hoped his forthcoming visit to China would further improve the bilateral relations and defence cooperation between the two countries....
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05:50 PM, Jun 18, 2013
Kochi: Underplaying the raging solar panel scam linked to the office of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Defence Minister A K Antony on Saturday refused to comment on the issue. "Government has ordered an enquiry. Let the report come",he told reporters when asked for his comments. On the sexual harassment case filed by the estranged wife of a Naval officer here, Antony said his ministry had ordered a probe, whose report...
04:08 PM, Jun 15, 2013
New Delhi: Defence Minister AK Antony has ordered a probe into allegations of irregularities in an Army housing project in Kochi. Antony has asked senior officials in the Ministry to probe the allegations of irregularities in the Army Welfare Housing Project in Kochi, defence sources said here. The allegations had surfaced recently in a report about the Army Welfare Housing Organisation's Silver Sands Housing Project, which was planned in 1987...
10:43 PM, Jun 09, 2013
Melbourne: Defence Minister AK Antony will arrive in Australia on Tuesday on a maiden visit as part of his three nation tour aimed at strengthening India's defence ties with the countries in Asia Pacific region. During his visit, Antony would meet his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith later on Tuesday in Perth. According to official sources, the two are scheduled to meet for a short duration this afternoon following Antony's arrival....
11:59 AM, Jun 04, 2013
New Delhi: Denial of leave to Army personnel including officers and soldiers may tempt them to have extra-marital affairs and in extreme cases, they may also resort to misbehaviour and flirting, an Army study has said. In its study 'roadmap to promote dignity of women and care for girl child in Army', the Jodhpur-based 12 'Konark' Corps has recommended that "grant of leave at regular intervals coupled with adequate training...
07:41 PM, Jun 03, 2013
Thanjavur: Defence Minister AK Antony has ruled out deploying the Army in Naxal-hit states. "There is no proposal like that because the real answer is strengthening the local police and para-military forces. We will extend all support without direct involvement," Antony said. The Defence Ministry has been against deployment of Army and the IAF in anti-Naxal operations. The Defence Minister said the Services are providing "full support. In fact on...
03:59 PM, May 27, 2013
Thanjavur: Defence Minister AK Antony on Monday will inaugurate an airbase here to house squadron of IAFs lethal Su-30 MKI combat aircraft, making it the first fighter squadron in south India that will help maintain vigil over the Indian Ocean region. The Indian Air Force (IAF) will base a squadron of agile Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft in Thajavur, making it the first fighter squadron in southern India, with a view...
09:10 AM, May 27, 2013
New Delhi: Army has refused to make public under RTI information on soldiers whose bodies were mutilated in skirmishes with Pakistani Army or infiltrators along the Line of Control during the last five years even though such details have been given by Defence Minister in Rajya Sabha. Three months after the application was filed, Army cited Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act to refuse the information without giving any reason...
02:08 PM, May 26, 2013
Ezhimala: Noting that a spirit of cooperation and competition prevailed between India and China, Defence Minister AK Antony on Saturday said negotiations to resolve the disputes between the two will take their own time and he does not expect any "miracles". "It is cooperation and competition... naturally. Both are neighbours and we have to work together. There are many areas where our relations are growing and disputes in some areas...
04:04 PM, May 25, 2013
Kannur: Defence Minister AK Antony on Friday expressed confidence that leaders of the Congress' Kerala unit would themselves resolve any issue facing them. "You (the media) think that there are issues that cannot be resolved in the state unit of the party. I know my colleagues here for several decades and at the appropriate time all will cooperate. My feeling is that the issues can be resolved here itself," Antony...
04:53 AM, May 25, 2013
Thiruvananthapuram: In a bid to resolve the rift between Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and KPCC Chief Ramesh Chennithala in the Kerala unit of Congress, CWC member and Defence Minister AK Antony held talks with supporters of Chandy and Chennithala at Kannur on Friday. The rift between Chandy and Chennithala following the confusion over non-induction of the latter into the cabinet snowballed into a crisis in Congress in the last few...
08:30 PM, May 24, 2013
New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday said Defence Minister AK Antony will visit China soon for bilateral talks. This comes on a day when Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the national capital. The Chinese Premier's visit comes days after the Chinese incursions in Ladakh. The MEA confirmed that Premier Li and Manmohan Singh discussed border issues. "The border issue was...
03:51 PM, May 20, 2013
Thiruvananthapuram: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will address a rally in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday in connection with the culmination of the Kerala Yatra, led by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala. Senior Congress leaders including Defence Minister AK Antony and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy would also address the concluding session of the Yatra, which began from Hosangadi near Manjeswaram in Kasaragod on April 18, Chennithala told reporters. The yatra,...
04:21 PM, May 17, 2013
New Delhi: The Indian Navy has been hit by fresh charges of wife swapping. CNN-IBN spoke to the wife of a naval officer, who last month accused her husband of wife swapping. She said that the practice is common in the Navy. Defence Minister AK Antony has ordered an inquiry into the matter. "It's very common in the Indian Navy. The thing is that everybody doesn't dare to file a...
08:29 AM, May 16, 2013
New Delhi: Oil Ministry's proposal for an across-the-board near doubling of natural gas prices has been rejected by the Cabinet Secretariat saying a ministerial panel headed by Defence Minister AK Antony did not have powers to do so. The Ministry had sent a draft proposal for the consideration of the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) to price all domestically produced natural gas - be of state-run ONGC or private sector...
04:18 PM, May 15, 2013
New Delhi: Against the backdrop of several alleged sex scandals in the force, Defence Minister AK Antony on Tuesday asked the Navy to take "sternest possible action" against its officers who are found involved in such "inappropriate behaviour". Referring to some isolated incidents of inappropriate behaviour by a few personnel, Antony urged top Commanders to take sternest possible action against those who tarnish the image and prestige of the armed...
07:50 PM, May 14, 2013
New Delhi: After incursions in Ladakh, China has now flexed its muscles in the Indian Ocean. The Indian Navy has expressed concern about increasing presence of Chinese navy's submarines and warships in the region. Defence Minister AK Antony will open the bi-annual Naval Commanders Conference in Delhi on Tuesday. The minister, fresh from flagging off the Navy's first MiG-29K squadron in Goa, is expected to highlight concerns over the increasing...
07:40 AM, May 14, 2013
New Delhi: A section within the Congress party is keen on replacing Dr Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister, sources said on Monday. According to the sources, the leaders want Singh replaced before the monsoon session of Parliament. While there is no consensus yet on the alternative name, sources said that Defence Minister AK Antony and Finance Minister P Chidambaram could be considered. Meanwhile, a few leaders are in favour of...
06:13 PM, May 13, 2013
Panaji: Indian Navy's indigenously-built aircraft carrier would be launched on August 12, 2013, while INS Vikramaditya (purchased from Russia) will arrive before the end of 2013, Union Defence Minister AK Antony said in Panaji on Saturday. "INS Vikramaditya is going to be a reality, as promised the ship would be delivered before the end of this year," Antony told reporters after the commissioning of fighter aircraft MiG29K into Navy at...
04:12 PM, May 11, 2013
Bangalore: Karnataka may get the name of its new Chief Minister on Friday and the Congress legislature party is meeting on to decide who will lead the government. An AICC observer team led by AK Antony is in Bangalore for the meeting. The Congress leaders are consulting MLAs even as several aspirants throw their hat in the ring. While frontrunner Siddarmaiah has sought an appointment with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi,...
11:57 AM, May 10, 2013
