Talks can fix all issues with Pak: NSA

Emphasising that India was keen on resolving all issues with Pakistan through dialogue, national security adviser Ajit Doval on Tuesday said there were no problems that could not be resolved.

He, however, stressed that there would be an effective deterrent to deal with terrorism originating from Pakistan.

The NSA also reiterated that though India was keen to have friendly relations with China but not at the cost of compromising on its territorial sovereignty. “We would like to resolve our problems through negotiations, through talks. I don’t think of any problem that cannot be resolved through negotiations,” Mr Doval said. “But on the other hand, India would like to have an effective deterrence to deal with terrorism,” he added.

The NSA was speaking at the “The Munich Security Conference” here. Mr Doval said the government was keen on having relations with all neighbours and that India’s economic progress could bring the regional countries together.

“I think developing better relations with the

I don’t think of any problem that cannot be resolved through negotiations. But on the other hand, India would like to have an effective deterrence to deal with terrorism.

— AJIT DOVAL, NSA

neighbourhood is important. India’s economic development could bind together the region which could see a vested interest that India’s growth will bring more opportunities and they should not feel undermined,” he said.

On the issue of China, particularly in the backdrop of recent incursion by its troops in the Ladakh region, Mr Doval said India considers it as “a very important neighbour” with whom “we have had good relations for centuries”.

“But we find space for economic cooperation and commerce. I would like to develop our relations to such an extent till the time our territorial and integral sovereignty... We would not be able to compromise on it. We should sit together and resolve our boundary dispute amicably,” he added.