<p>Speaking at a news conference after meetings with Prime Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister A K Antony and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, Gates, who is on a two-day visit to India, said: “After the attacks in Mumbai, India had responded with great restraint and statesmanship. But, if attacked again, the response is a question. I leave this question to the Indian government. It would not be unreasonable to assume that India’s patience would be limited.”<br /><br />Gates, who was Director of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the presidency of George W Bush, will visit Pakistan on Friday. He emphasised the need for a “high level of cooperation” from all countries in the region to defeat the “syndicate” of terror, which included the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Taliban and Tehreek-e-Taliban under the “umbrella” of al-Qaeda.<br /><br />“It’s dangerous to single out any one of these group. The success of any one of these groups leads to new capabilities and a new reputation for all,” he said.<br />Gates said the LeT was a part of the al-Qaeda-led terror syndicate that wanted to destabilise the region “by provoking a conflict perhaps between India and Pakistan through some provocative act.” India could be “an anchor for regional and global security.”<br /><br />India’s military role<br /><br />Gates lauded India’s role and support to the war in Afghanistan. Gates rejected the idea of deployment of Indian troops in Afghanistan to assist the war against the Taliban. <br /><br />“Let us be honest here. There are real suspicions in both India and Pakistan about what the other is doing in Afghanistan,” he said, in response to a query if the US wanted India to be in a military role in Afghanistan.<br /><br />Both India and Pakistan should continue “to focus on development and humanitarian assistance and, perhaps in a limited way, in training, with a bit of transparency.”<br />Gates termed the assistance provided by India in rebuilding strife-torn Afghanistan “ideal.” He said greater transparency on the part of New Delhi and Islamabad on the projects being undertaken would allay their “suspicions” about each other. </p>
<p>Speaking at a news conference after meetings with Prime Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister A K Antony and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, Gates, who is on a two-day visit to India, said: “After the attacks in Mumbai, India had responded with great restraint and statesmanship. But, if attacked again, the response is a question. I leave this question to the Indian government. It would not be unreasonable to assume that India’s patience would be limited.”<br /><br />Gates, who was Director of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the presidency of George W Bush, will visit Pakistan on Friday. He emphasised the need for a “high level of cooperation” from all countries in the region to defeat the “syndicate” of terror, which included the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Taliban and Tehreek-e-Taliban under the “umbrella” of al-Qaeda.<br /><br />“It’s dangerous to single out any one of these group. The success of any one of these groups leads to new capabilities and a new reputation for all,” he said.<br />Gates said the LeT was a part of the al-Qaeda-led terror syndicate that wanted to destabilise the region “by provoking a conflict perhaps between India and Pakistan through some provocative act.” India could be “an anchor for regional and global security.”<br /><br />India’s military role<br /><br />Gates lauded India’s role and support to the war in Afghanistan. Gates rejected the idea of deployment of Indian troops in Afghanistan to assist the war against the Taliban. <br /><br />“Let us be honest here. There are real suspicions in both India and Pakistan about what the other is doing in Afghanistan,” he said, in response to a query if the US wanted India to be in a military role in Afghanistan.<br /><br />Both India and Pakistan should continue “to focus on development and humanitarian assistance and, perhaps in a limited way, in training, with a bit of transparency.”<br />Gates termed the assistance provided by India in rebuilding strife-torn Afghanistan “ideal.” He said greater transparency on the part of New Delhi and Islamabad on the projects being undertaken would allay their “suspicions” about each other. </p>
