- (AFP) - Defence Minister George Fernandes has said India's
array of guided missiles are "in position," the Press Trust of
India (PTI) reported, in a move that ups the ante in tensions with Pakistan.
India's "missile systems are in position," Fernandes told PTI,
replying to questions on the possible deployment of missiles in the current
border build-up.
Fernandes did not elaborate but media reports said the army had moved batteries
of its surface-to-surface Prithvi (Earth) guided missiles from their distant
facility in the southern city of Secunderabad closer to Pakistan's borders
in Punjab state.
The missiles reportedly deployed are an earlier variant of the Prithvi
which has a maximum range of 150 kilometres (93 miles) but is capable of
carrying nuclear warheads, experts said.
The defence minister did not specify whether India had deployed its ballistic
Agni-1 missile, which has a range of 1,500 kilometres (930 miles).
India is currently developing a longer-range version of the Agni (Fire).
"At the moment, we are concentrating on Agni-II ballistic missile
(with a range of 2,500 kilometres) and we do not have any plans for a longer-range
missile," PTI quoted Fernandes as saying.
The rivals began massing troops and armour on their borders following India's
accusations that Pakistan masterminded an attack on the national parliament
on December 13 which left 14 people, including the five attackers, dead.
India and Pakistan have fought three full-scale wars since their 1947 independence
and came dangerously close to a fourth during a border conflict in the
summer of 1999.
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