India denies escalating tensions with Pakistan

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Source: CCTV.com | 12-31-2008 08:59

Indian Foreign Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, says India has done nothing to escalate tensions with Pakistan. However, patrols on both sides of their shared border have been increased.

The Indian Foreign Minister denied accusations from Pakistan that India is trying to escalate tensions in the region.

Pranab Mukherjee, Indian Foreign Minister, said, "About the Pakistan Foreign Minister's demand that we should deescalate, my point is we did not escalate the thing at all, we have not done anything which can escalate the tension between India and Pakistan."

Indian Border Security Force soldiers walk during a patrol  along the India-Pakistan border near Bikaner on December 27,  2008. Pakistan on Tuesday called for talks with India to  defuse tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours,  as New Delhi denied claims it had moved troops into  offensive positions on the border.(AFP/File)

Tensions between India and Pakistan have risen sharply since last month's terror attacks in India's financial hub Mumbai.

Both countries have ruled out the possibility of war publicly, but military patrols on both sides have increased.

Earlier, Pakistan called upon India to pull back troops and resume the dialogue process suspended after last month's militant attacks in Mumbai.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Pakistani Foreign Minister, said, "Pakistan wants to make two proposals. Firstly, I think India has activated their forward air bases, and I think if they are deactivated, then it would be a big positive signal. Secondly, as far as the deployment of ground forces are concerned, if they are relocated to their peacetime positions, then it would also be a positive signal."

Tension between the nuclear-armed neighbors has been running high since terrorists killed 179 people in Mumbai last month. India says the attackers were trained in Pakistan. Pakistan has offered to cooperate with India but denies India's claims that it has been handed firm evidence of links to militants in Pakistan.

Editor:Du Xiaodan