'Global puzzle' Pakistan resorts to firing across LoC again

After a brief lull Pakistan's army resorted to unprovoked firing at Indian positions in Hamirpur sector across the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, defence sources said.

Pakistani troops started unprovoked firing at Indian positions at 8.55 pm on Friday using automatics and small arms, sources said, adding that it was the third violation by Pakistani army on the LoC in Hamirpur sector during the last three days.

Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprecedented peace-time shelling of civilian habitations on the international border in Jammu district on 6 October.

Defence minister Arun Jaitley complimented the Army and the BSF for appropriate response to the ceasefire violations by Pakistan.

Talking about two decades of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan, Jaitley said it has been effectively thwarted by the armed forces, the sources said.

Describing Pakistan as a "global puzzle" he said India is destined to live in a troubled neighbourhood and security has become a complex issue.

Addressing a conference of top commanders of the armed forces on Friday, he said the process of military acquisitions, which had slowed down due to "some controversies", will be speeded up with at least one meeting per month of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), a high level body that decides on procurements for the armed forces.

There is a need for capacity building and India needs to have a credible deterrence in all arms of the armed forces, Jaitley said.

At the same time, he said that since the Narendra Modi government took over in May, it has endeavoured to have good relations with all its neighbours.

Underlining that security of the country is paramount, he promised to speed up the defence acquisition process.

There were "some controversies" in the acquisition process and hence it had slowed down, he said, adding DAC "is going to meet at least once every month" as the government wanted to speed up. He asked the armed forces to expedite the technical trials.

The defence minister mentioned the government's decision to increase FDI limit in defence sector to 49 per cent from 26 per cent and said it will go a "long way" in cutting down import.

The minister lauded the role of armed forces in facing with external, internal challenges and even natural calamities like the Jammu and Kashmir floods and Cyclone Hudhud.