Pranab does not rule out Kargil-like conflicts

New Delhi, July 2 (UNI) Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said he did not completely rule out Kargil-like conflicts in the future.

''There is an overall acceptance by the comity of nations that war is ruled out... but I do not completely rule out local conflicts or intrusions like the one that happened in Kargil,'' the Defence Minister said in an interview to DD News channel to be telecast tonight.

He said India was conducting an experiment to resolve outstanding issues with its neighbours through defence diplomacy.

''Defence diplomacy has become an important ingredient of our overall diplomacy,'' he said in the Doordarshan programmee 'War and Peace'.

He said the international community considered India, China and Japan as important players in keeping peace in the Asian region.

''The recent MoU with China is the first framework of its kind between the two countries and there is a scope for building deeper relations on the strength of it.'' He said the MoU would not have any negative impact on relations with other neighbouring countries.

He said the government was looking into the second part of the Ajay Vikram Singh Committee Report, aimed at making a career in armed forces more attractive.

''We also plan to establish more sainik schools in the country so that more young boys could be groomed for the services,'' he said and added: ''In the next ten years, the armed forces will be fully equipped to meet any eventuality''.

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