Pakistan expressed concern Wednesday about a “massive” buildup of arms by old rival India, warning that it could jeopardize a regional balance. The statement by the National Command Authority (NCA), which oversees Pakistan's nuclear weapons, came a day after Russian and Indian officials announced that Russia would lease its new Nerpa nuclear-powered submarine to India this year. Relations between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have been strained since Pakistan-based militants raided the Indian city of Mumbai in November 2008, killing 166 people. Recent reported remarks by India's Army chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor that his country was capable of fighting Pakistan and China at the same time, raised alarm in Pakistan. The NCA said while Pakistan wanted to avoid an arms race, it would not compromise on its security interests and the imperative of maintaining a credible minimum nuclear deterrence. “Massive inductions of advanced weapon systems including installation of ABMs (anti-ballistic missiles), buildup of nuclear arsenal and delivery systems ... tend to destabilize the regional balance,” the NCA said in a statement. “This relentless pursuit of military preponderance will have severe consequences for peace and security in South Asia as well as for the Indian Ocean region. Pakistan cannot be oblivious to these developments,” it said. The Indian Army chief was also reported to have said in his recent remarks that India was capable of conducting conventional military strikes “under a nuclear umbrella”.
