PM cautions defence chiefs over security situation

Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, on Tuesday addressed senior defence commanders in New Delhi in the wake of a deteriorating security scenario in the South Asian region, especially in neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Defence Minister A K Antony, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna along with the Chiefs of the three Defence services attended the conference. Manmohan Singh is understood to have outlined India''s immediate and medium-term

defence policy with respect to China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the internal security challenge posed by left wing extremism.

India is battling a rapidly growing Maoist insurgency within the country, while tackling skirmishes in Jammu and Kashmir along the border with Pakistan. Rising terror attacks in Pakistan and the growing Taliban threat is also of grave concern to India''s own security.