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Armed forces conducting war
exercises on Indo-Pak border

The Strike Corps of the army and some units of the IAF are involved in the exercises, which will continue till May 15, defence ministry sources said in Delhi on Saturday.

Stating that the army usually conducts the exercises around this time every year to keep the troops in 'combat readiness', they said these had no relation with the troop deployment along the border 'except that it helped save the time needed to move soldiers and weaponry'.

"The exercises are in no way meant to indicate that a war is imminent. It is just to test the readiness of the units of army and air force," they added.

Last year, Operation Poorna Vijay was conducted in the same area in May but the movement of troops, tanks and other weaponry had begun much earlier, he pointed out.

Troops have been deployed along the border since December last for routine exercises and their concentration was increased after the December 13 terrorist attack on Parliament.

"As the exercises are being conducted well within the Indian borders, it should be no cause for any concern to Pakistan," the sources said.

Meanwhile, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday played down fears of escalating tensions with India, but admitted he was concerned by the military exercises near the border.

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