New axis of China-Pak emerging, Ind needs to be prepared:BJP

New Delhi, May 8: Warning that a "new axis" of

and

had emerged in the last few years, the Opposition today pressed the government to step up defence preparedness to match the changing geo-strategic realities.

Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha on the functioning of the Defence Ministry, Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said the government should work for self-reliance in the defence production sector.

A new axis has emerged between China and Pakistan in the last few years which was evident from China's altered stand on Jammu & Kashmir and its involvement in building at least two nuclear reactors for Pakistan, the former Union Minister said.

"This is the geo-strategic reality as far as India is concerned and the situation in the last one decade in this regard has substantially changed. We must recognise this reality, and our defence preparedness, therefore, has to match this reality," he said.

"...in terms of these changing geo-strategic realities, our defence strategy has to be planned, particularly when you find Chinese troops present in PoK and in other areas, the kind of military cooperation between the two countries which is going on, the kind of road building across our border which is going on," Jaitley added.

Even though he discounted the possibility of "full-spectrum war", he said India's defence strategy should be prepared to keep in mind "how to defeat Pakistan, how to hold China".

Questioning whether India has the defence preparedness to do so, he said, "There was a time when we considered our defence superiority over Pakistan to be 3.5 against 1. Today it has narrowed down to 1.5 against 1."

PTI