Indian PM raises heat on Pakistan

Mr Vajpayee wants Indian forces to face any challenges

By Ayanjit Sen BBC reporter in Delhi

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has launched another strong attack on Pakistan a day after describing the neighbouring country as a "demon".

The brutal killing of men, women and children in Jammu and Kashmir is not a freedom struggle but naked terrorism driven by Pakistan

Prime Minister AB Vajpayee

Mr Vajpayee said the world should come together either to persuade or coerce Pakistan to stop what he described as "cross-border terrorism".

He said most countries had accepted the Indian position that it could have a dialogue with Pakistan only if "cross-border terrorism" ended.

Mr Vajpayee was addressing a conference of the commanders of the Indian armed forces in Delhi on Saturday.

At the meeting, the chiefs of army, air force and navy gave an assessment of the security situation in the country.

India 'ever ready'

Mr Vajpayee said, "Our military mobilisation sharply focused international attention on the ravages of terrorism.

Mr Vajpayee has gone on the rhetorical offensive

"The brutal killing of men, women and children in Jammu and Kashmir is not a freedom struggle but naked terrorism driven by Pakistan," Mr Vajpayee said.

India accuses Pakistan of training, arming and funding militants fighting Indian rule in Kashmir.

Pakistan denies providing military help and says it only gives moral and diplomatic support to the militants.

Mr Vajpayee said Pakistan had no genuine desire to replace terrorism with dialogue.

He said the country's national security apparatus should always be prepared to face any challenges.

Defence budget raised

Tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours have fallen a little since both announced plans to withdraw troops from their international borders.

Indian troops are being slowly pulled back

There have also been reports that Mr Vajpayee would attend the summit meeting of the regional association, known as Saarc, to be held in Pakistan in January.

On Saturday, Mr Vajpayee said the Saarc summit would be meaningful only if bilateral differences were left behind and economic and trade issues brought forward.

Speaking at the military meeting, Defence Minister George Fernandes said it was important for the armed forces to operate with "a high degree of joint ness and synergy with one another".

He also said the defence budget estimates for the current financial year had been raised to $13.5 billion.