india

Updated: Aug 12, 2019 02:29 IST

Admiral Arun Prakash (retd), former Chief of Naval Staff, on Sunday said revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status would hopefully bring greater “integration” and “development” but at the same time questioned whether “insecurity” among a section of people would work out in favour of security.

Kashmir “symbolised the barrenness of New Delhi’s strategic culture” because India had failed to “evolve a strategy for the resolution of this imbroglio since 1947.”

“We hope the abrogation of Article 370, and changes in the status of erstwhile J&K State, will bring peace and help foster integration and economic development,” Admiral Prakash said while delivering the 24th Prem Bhatia Memorial lecture in Delhi titled, “India’s Contemporary Security Challenges”.

On the larger strategic situation that faces India, Admiral Prakash said, Beijing has been using Pakistan’s “shoulder” to balance India.

He referred to Pakistan’s nuclear programme and how China helped Islamabad achieve nuclear capability, elaborating on China-Pakistan nexus.