Demilitarisation from LoC India's dream: Anthony

Port Blair, Mar 25: Defence Minister A.K.Anthony today said demilitarisation from Line of Control (LoC) is India's dream.

Talking to newspersons at Car Nicobar in Andaman, Mr Anthony said, '' It is the Centre's dream to call back our soldiers deployed in LoC, which is possible only when the neighbouring country stops supporting terrorist groups.'' He said the Centre had sent troops to the LoC to combat terrorism in 1989 and the "threat is still there".

''We don't want our forces to be deployed there permanently,'' he added.

Mr Anthony said though the Centre did not want to deploy armed forces and security agencies in LoC but have to do so to protect the country.

The Defence Minister, who is camping in this union territory to see the activities of Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), country's first Tri-Service Joint Command.

He also added that the coastal surveillance was needed to be strenghtened as the terrorists were looking for other routes like sea to enter the Indian territory.

UNI