By IANS,
New Delhi : India will not compromise on its national security even as it engages China in a dialogue to resolve the dragging border dispute, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Tuesday.
“We are in the process of finding a solution to our long-standing dispute through dialogue. The process is continuing,” Antony told reporters on the sidelines of a defence officers conference here.
“As far as national interests are concerned, we won’t compromise,” he said, when asked if India was being soft despite Chinese incursions into Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh to placate the Left parties that support Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government.
“The armed forces are ready to meet any challenge,” Antony maintained.
“We want to avoid confrontation and that is why we are in a dialogue. It would be appropriate to find a solution through dialogue,” he said. “As far as national security is concerned, there would be no compromise.”