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| India-Pakistan |
| US allays fears on Agni-III missile test-firing |
| 2006-06-05 |
| Much gnashing of teeth in China India's preparedness to test-fire 3,000-km range ballistic missile Agni-III would not be a destabilising factor in the region, said visiting top-most ranking US military officer, Peter Pace on Monday. Addressing the media at US Embassy, Pace said US will not view as "destabilising" if India goes ahead with the test firing of the intermediate ballistic missile Agni-III. "Many countries in this region have tested missiles and as long as the weapons being tested are of defensive capability, we do not not view it as destabilising factor," the US joint chief of staff said. Earlier in the day Pace met the top brass of the Indian military and defence minister Pranab Mukherjee. The General's comments assume significance as according to reports Indian defence scientists have said they are ready to test fire the solid fuel missile, if given the political nod. "India as a sovereign state has the right to decide what weapons to test and when," Pace said in his first ever visit to India. He used the same argument to defend resumption of US arms aid to Pakistan. "If countries feel more relaxed about perceived threats through assurance of their defence capabilities, it will lead to increase in stability in the region", Pace said. Saying that developments in Afghanistan had figured prominently in his talks with Indian military leadership, Pace said he was not aware of any reports of any request for India to send its troops to Afghanistan" nor of any such offer being made by India". On the possibility of Washington selling its anti-missile system to India, Pace said US had provided New Delhi with classified briefings on Patriot missile and it was upto India to make up its mind. |
| Posted by:john |
| #5 NAG and NAGAINA/NAGIINA > killer Cobras from the book RIKI TIKI TAVI. In other regional defense news, JANES reports that China may deploy indigens armed Helo Carriers based on its naval enigineering studies of the VARYAG and other carriers. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-06-05 20:37 |
| #4 |
| Posted by: john 2006-06-05 18:36 |
| #3 Agni = Fire Other Indian missiles are similarly named - Prithvi - Earth (SRBM) Akash - Sky (AAM) Sagarika - Oceanic (SLCM) This is the Agni-3  |
| Posted by: john 2006-06-05 18:03 |
| #2 In fact, far less destablizing than a nuclear Iran. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2006-06-05 17:50 |
| #1 Agni? Wonder if the Pakis are hip to that reference... |
| Posted by: mojo 2006-06-05 17:43 |