<p>"We are not aware of any such proposal," Vishnu Prakash, the external affairs ministry's spokesperson, said in response to a question. <br /><br />The defence ministry officials took a tougher stand, saying they were "taken aback" at the statement of the Australian foreign minister. <br /><br />The defence ministry also stated that it is not "keen on hopping to any multilateral security constructs in the region excepting those under the UN flag or such broad-based arrangements as ASEAN Defence Ministers Meet (ADMM +) and ASEAN Regional Forum."<br /><br />In an interview with the Australian Financial Review newspaper, Rudd backed the formation of a security pact with India and the US, saying it could come into being if Canberra ends a ban on uranium sales.<br /><br />A new trilateral accord was worth exploring because "from little things big things grow", Rudd said.<br /><br />"The response from the Indian government has really been quite positive," Rudd had said.<br />But India's clarification Thursday makes it clear that it is not keen on such a proposal.<br /><br />Beijing has already objected to the proposed India-US-Japan trilateral dialogue, and another trilateral between India, US and Australia, informed sources, said could aggravate Beijing's anxieties that such arrangements are meant to encircle it.</p>
<p>"We are not aware of any such proposal," Vishnu Prakash, the external affairs ministry's spokesperson, said in response to a question. <br /><br />The defence ministry officials took a tougher stand, saying they were "taken aback" at the statement of the Australian foreign minister. <br /><br />The defence ministry also stated that it is not "keen on hopping to any multilateral security constructs in the region excepting those under the UN flag or such broad-based arrangements as ASEAN Defence Ministers Meet (ADMM +) and ASEAN Regional Forum."<br /><br />In an interview with the Australian Financial Review newspaper, Rudd backed the formation of a security pact with India and the US, saying it could come into being if Canberra ends a ban on uranium sales.<br /><br />A new trilateral accord was worth exploring because "from little things big things grow", Rudd said.<br /><br />"The response from the Indian government has really been quite positive," Rudd had said.<br />But India's clarification Thursday makes it clear that it is not keen on such a proposal.<br /><br />Beijing has already objected to the proposed India-US-Japan trilateral dialogue, and another trilateral between India, US and Australia, informed sources, said could aggravate Beijing's anxieties that such arrangements are meant to encircle it.</p>