High level meeting held to review internal security

With infiltration from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir on the rise, Defence Minister AK Antony chaired a high-level meeting on Tuesday to review the security situation in the country.

Besides Antony, the meeting was attended by National Security Adviser M K Narayanan, Cabinet Secretary B K Chaturvedi, Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt and the three service chiefs, Gen J J Singh, Admiral Sureesh Mehta and Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major.

According to defence ministry figures, infiltration attempts in Kashmir jumped to 83 during April, marking a four-fold increase over the figure for the same period last year. In May and June, there were at least two to three infiltration attempts reported every day.

The demand by Russia for more money for supplying additional Sukhoi-30 combat jets and the refurbished aircraft
carrier Gorshkov is understood to have also figured in the meeting that lasted over 90 minutes.

Defence Secretary Dutt, who recently was to Moscow to discuss this issue, briefed the meeting about Russian manufacturers seeking a review of defence contracts with India and demanding millions of dollars more for the sale of the Gorshkov and Su-30 jets.

A high-level Russian defence delegation led by Col Gen Alexi Fedrovovich Maslov is currently in town on an official visit. Another high-level Russian team is expected in the middle of the month for further negotiations on the issue.