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Radicalisation of Pak society matter of concern: NSA Doval

Last Updated 27 March 2015, 06:09 IST

The radicalistion of Pakistani society is a matter of "added concern" for India amid a "highly vitiated" external environment, the National Security Adviser today said while emphasising the need for building a strong security apparatus as a deterrence.

NSA Ajit Doval said that India wants to deal with Pakistan in a way which was fair, correct and transparent and without bending to any of the "pressure tactics" or "blackmailing".

Neither does it want to think that the nuclear threshold would leave India with no option but to accept the "covert" war as a reality to which they do not have any response.

Talking about the security situation, Doval said the external environment was getting highly vitiated.

He said that although one might think what is happening in Iraq, Syria or Yemen was far away from India, it may not be as far or as distant as it looks to be.

"The threat is real, the threat is imminent," Doval said at a seminar organised by the Air Force Association here.

Noting that there are changes taking place in Afghanistan and Pakistan, he said the societies are becoming much more radicalised.

"Particularly in Pakistan... The radicalisation of Pakistan society is a matter of added concern. We are sceptical about the abilities or the competence and the will and desire of the Pakistan government to take on and control the situation though we would like them very much to do so," he said.

Doval also spoke about the friendship between Pakistan and China, which are both nuclear powers.

He said India has a "very very definite" policy for dealing with Pakistan."We want to deal with Pakistan in a way which is fair, correct, transparent and which is not bending to any of the pressure tactics or the blackmailing or the thinking that nuclear threshold probably will leave India with no option but to accept the covert war as a reality to which they don't have any response," he said.

Doval added that India does not want Pakistan to think like that. "We want them to change their thinking and, to that extent, India is happy (to help) and India has been trying to engage and I do hope that this engagement in changed circumstances will make them understand that it is in the interests of both the countries," he said.

Speaking on the context of Pakistan, Doval said if radicalism starts, India cannot remain too far...and should that happen, India will have to be extremely guarded.He said there was an "upswing" in relationship but India is "extremely guarded".

Doval said the government was happy with the way Kashmir elections have taken place and that democratic government has come there after a record turnout.He again cited the example of Kashmir elections when talking about democracy and radicalisation.

He said most of the states (countries) where democracy has taken strong roots, society there did not get radicalised like what is happening in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and other places.

He said the moment security forces were able to curtail activities of the terrorists and the Hurriyat, and the fear element had gone, not only was there 70 per cent polling but the BJP also got many votes.

"BJP, which has been seen as a strong nationalistic party from the mainland were able to get a large number of seats. It is true that most of the seats were from Jammu but large number of votes, candidates may not have won, which were polled in the valley in favour of the BJP indicates that democracy does provide the space," he said.

Talking about the relationship between China and Pakistan, he said India has two neighbours which are nuclear powers.

"They have got a relationship that they say is deeper than the sea and higher than mountains or Mount Everest. They are strategic partners. They have got a type of relationship which has very significant implications for us," he said.

Without taking the name of China, he said one of them also is also going to a major power, economic power with a huge budget. He said Indian budget was much lower than the Chinese one.

"That is a problem as to how with limited budget, we are able to build up a security structure, which works as a credible deterrence," he said.

Doval said to counter this great challenge, professional competence will be required on part of our scientists, defence production capabilities and defence forces.

"And for that what is required is a very strong and very efficient system that can take right decisions at the right time," he said. He also said strong nationalism is not about exclusion of a large number of people.

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(Published 27 March 2015, 06:08 IST)

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