India concerned about China's weapons supply to Pak: Krishna

Taking exception to China's involvement in several projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), India on Sunday described it as illegal and said it has conveyed its concern over this as well as supply of Chinese weapons to Pakistan.

Despite differences on a host of issues with China, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna who is expected to visit Beijing in April this year, said the country did not see it in antagonistic terms.

In a year-end review of the foreign policy and India's relations with its neigbours, the minister said, "India lives in a difficult neighbourhood" and national security and terrorism originating from across our borders would remain a major challenge in 2010.

During an interview, he touched upon the troubled ties with Pakistan, relations with China and his optimism about meaningful cooperation from the US in regard to cases of two terror suspects David Headley and Tahawwur Rana, arrested there for plotting terror attacks in India.

Asked about the pinpricks from China in the shape of border incursions, issuance of separate visas to Kashmiris, the Dalai Lama and status of Arunachal Pradesh, he replied, "We are indeed concerned about some of these developments."

He went on to emphasise that China's continued supply of weapons to Pakistan and activities of Chinese companies in PoK were a matter of concern and India was talking about all these issues with China. Explaining why India sees these activities in PoK as illegal, Krishna said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and neither Pakistan nor China have a locus standi there.

Still India did not see China in antagonistic terms as it believes that there is enough space for both to develop in a "mutually supportive manner while remaining sensitive to each other's concerns and aspirations," as befits good neighbours and strategic partners, Krishna said.

On the outlook for 2010, he said, "I am optimistic about the progress in our bilateral ties with China in the year ahead." He also said "India and China are engaged in deepening their strategic and cooperative partnership on the one hand and narrowing divergences on the other." Krishna emphasised that India was "committed to close and friendly relations with our neighbours" as it was convinced that our destinies are interlinked.

Referring to Pakistan, he noted that progress had been achieved in five years of composite dialogue but it was eroded by continued terrorism emanating from that country. For better ties, he put the onus on Pakistan to act with determination against terrorism directed at India.

"The manner in which it acts to fulfill its assurances in this regard will be a critical factor in achieving progress in our bilateral relations," he said, setting the bottom-line for resumption of the composite dialogue stalled after the Mumbai terror attacks.

"With Pakistan, the composite dialogue process since 2004 revealed the promise and potential that exists for both countries in a context when relations are improving. Realising that potential is the challenge but we can only do so by squarely addressing the issue of terrorism," Krishna said.