No surgical strikes on Pak terror camps: Pallam Raju

New Delhi: India on Thursday ruled out the possibility of carrying out any surgical strike on terror camps inside Pakistan, but asserted that adequate measures will be taken to ensure that its interests are protected.

"No, no," Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju said when asked about the possibility of surgical strikes on terror camps inside the neighbouring country.

He told reporters, "We will take adequate measures to see to it that our nation is safe, our citizens are safe, and our interests are safeguarded."

While expressing hope that Pakistan will act against terror camps operating from its soil, he said India will also ensure that its interests are protected and the nation is secure. "The first responsibility is towards ensuring adequate security, towards which we are leaving no stone unturned. Beyond that, whatever information we have about these camps, we have brought it to the notice of our neighbour and we hope they will take action on that," he said.

"Across the borders, we are taking adequate safety measures and we are continuing to talk to that government. I am sure there will be results at the end of the day," he said.

Defence Minister A K Antony had on Wednesday stated that there were 42 terror camps operating inside Pakistan and that the neighbouring country had not done enough yet to dismantle the terror infrastructure.

On the reported gaps in the Army's anti-tank missile systems, Raju said the defence ministry will provide whatever capability the services needed within the time-frame that they had sought. "The entire endeavour of the ministry is to supply the capability that the services want within the time-frame that they seek," he said.

Asked if the defence ministry will do away with the system of Sahayaks (batman) for Army officers as strongly recommended by a Parliamentary committee, Raju said it was for the concerned service to examine it, just like the Air Force and the Navy have acted on it. "It is for the Army to look into it and see what is appropriate," he added.