Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said on Wednesday that India was closely monitoring sale of arms to Pakistan by China. "All these developments are closely monitored by the External Affairs Ministry, by the Defence Ministry and various other ministries and the Prime Minister.
"So, let us not get into yet another speculative area," he replied when asked by newsmen about the sale of arms by Beijing to Islamabad and if this would lead to an arms race in the region. India has chalked out an ambitious plan to modernise its armed forces by acquiring arms worth 30 billion dollars in the coming years. India has already purchased military hardware worth billions of dollars from Russia, Israel and Western sources.
"I have said and I would like to repeat again in the dying days of 2009 that India-China border is peaceful," he said, adding: "It is India's desire to maintain peace and tranquillity at our borders and we will continue to do that."