By IANS,
Kolkata : Political and economic instability in Pakistan coupled with its military build-up constitutes a threat to India, West Bengal Governor M.K.Narayanan said Friday.
The former national security adviser termed Pakistan as a “difficult neighbour” and China a “rival”, and observed that a potential threat to India’s security cannot be ruled out.
“We do not face any external challenge as of now. Nevertheless with a difficult neighbour like Pakistan and a rival like China, threat to our national security cannot be ruled out,” Naryanan said at a seminar “Securex 2011 – Securing the Future” organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry here.
He said Pakistan was making considerable advance in its weaponry, acquiring military hardware from foreign countries.
“Pakistan’s military build-up is, therefore, a threat. The political and economic instability in Pakistan coupled with its continuous support for terrorism has compounded the problem,” he observed.
He said the threat from China was “more strategic than direct” and that its expanding naval capabilities posed a challenge to India.
“China’s expanding naval capabilities are a challenge for us. China has also been making rapid advances in missile technology,” Narayanan noted.