Defence minister A.K. Antony asserted on Wednesday that it was the UPA government which had taken a recent policy decision to permit permanent commission for women in more streams in the armed forces but added that he could not ignore the views of the Indian Air Force (regarding litigation by several women petitioners).
The minister was asked whether the MoD would challenge a recent Delhi high court verdict before the Supreme Court.
Several women petitioners had alleged in their petition before the Delhi high court earlier that they were being discriminated against with regard to the grant of permanent commission in the armed forces and they had won the case in the Delhi high court.
When asked by reporters about the Sino-Indian relationship, Mr Antony said relations with China were improving and that India was not paranoid about China. Acknowledging the existence of the border dispute with China which he said was being resolved through earlier establishment of a specific mechanism, Mr Antony said that the government had a conscious policy of pursuing a cordial relationship with China which he said was India’s largest trading partner.
On Pakistan, the minister said that while dialogue was on with that country, India was seriously concerned about the existence of terror camps in Pakistan. He said Pakistan should dismantle these terror camps immediately.
Ministry of defence sources also said that the MoD had used all its budgetary allocation for 2009-10 which was a “record”.