Peace talks when Pak stops supporting terror in JK: Gen. Rawat

TIL Desk/National/Jaipur/ Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat today said peace talks with Pakistan can take place only when it stops supporting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Given its actions, it doesn’t appear that Pakistan really wants peace, the Army chief added.

He was in the Thar desert in the western sector to witness the ‘Hamesha Vijayee’ exercise conducted by the Southern Command close to the India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan. Rawat said Pakistan should stop supporting terrorists. “Only then can we say that peace talks should take place,” he told reporters in the exercise area near Barmer.

“We also want that relations should be better but given what kind of actions there are (from their side) and terrorism is spreading in Jammu and Kashmir, it doesn’t appear that they really want peace,” Rawat said.

Asked about China s rising presence and influence in Pakistan through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Army chief said India is also taking its steps while keeping security aspects in mind. The way they are taking steps, we are also taking our steps while keeping our security perspective in mind, he said.