India an active landmine producer: report

India has stockpiled at least 40 lakh antipersonnel landmines making it the fifth largest stock in the world but is not an active user, an international report has said.

India remains an active landmine producer. However, there has been no government use of landmines in the last year and many remain in Indian soil from past conflicts, according to the Landmine Monitor Report 2007 brought out by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.

India, along with Russia, China and Pakistan, remains one of the largest producer of antipersonnel landmines in the world, it said.

"While the government is fully sensitised to humanitarian aspects of the landmine problem, there is a compelling need to address the issue comprehensively," Satnam Jit Singh, advisor to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines said.

India is yet to join the Mine Ban Treaty under which 156 nations have banned the use, production, stockpile and trade of landmines, the report said.