Antony says India will match Chinese military infra buildup

New Delhi: Expressing concern over Chinese military infrastructure buildup, Defence Minister AK Antony today said India was working to match it to protect the country’s territory and build an effective deterrence. “China is expanding its military capabilities and their infrastructure in the border area is also increasing substantially and we are concerned about that,” he said. The Minister made these remarks when asked about India’s response to Chinese military modernization in the Eastern and Northern sectors. [caption id=“attachment_131399” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“India has been deploying its frontline fighter aircraft Sukhoi-30 MKIs on its airbases along the Chinese border. Reuters”]  [/caption] “We have been improving our infrastructure and military capabilities in the eastern sector. We are strengthening our military capability and infrastructure not for confrontation, but to protect our territory and also to build an effective deterrence…so that we can protect every inch of Indian territory,” Antony said. India has been deploying its frontline fighter aircraft Sukhoi-30 MKIs on its airbases along the Chinese border in the North-East and has raised two Mountain Divisions there. Ultra light howitzers and tanks under new armoured formations are also planned to be deployed in the region. Asked about the existing defence ties with China, Antony said the Defence Secretary-level talks between the two sides will be held next year. “Defence exchanges with China are again resuming. I hope the defence dialogue (between the two nations) at the Defence Secretary-level will again resume next years,” Antony told reporters on the sidelines of Fifth South Asia Conference here. India and China will hold the Annual Defence Dialogue (ADD) in January next year during which the two sides are expected to discuss resumption of their joint army exercise and the pending border issues between them. PTI