By IANS,
Bangalore : Armed forces could be used for internal security duties only as a last resort, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Tuesday.
“Internal security is the primary concern of state police and paramilitary forces,” he told reporters here after witnessing a flight display of the light combat aircraft (LCA) ‘Tejas’ trainer version, the prototype-version and the first of the eight fighters being produced for induction in the Indian Air Force by 2014.
“Even in Jammu and Kashmir, state police was being strengthened so that armed forces were left to take care of border and forward areas,” Antony said.
Noting that “as a policy, armed forces are deployed on borders and forward areas to protect the country”, he said forces do help in rescue and relief operations in times of natural calamities.