India fully capable of defending itself: Defence Minister AK Antony

NEW DELHI: India has strengthened its military power since the 1962 Sino-Indian war and is now fully capable of defending itself, Defence Minister AK Antony said today.

"Infrastructure in the northeast is not up to our satisfaction but it has improved a lot as compared to the past...India of 2012 is not India of that period. We are now capable of defending every inch of our country," he told reporters on the sidelines of a Navy conference here.

He was replying to a question on India vis-a-vis China 50 years after the 1962 war in which India had suffered a humiliating defeat.

Antony said earlier India had not focussed on enhancing infrastructure in northeastern states but "now we have moved very fast. Now our infrastructure, assets and manpower have substantially improved compared to the past."

The Defence Minister said India will continue to build its infrastructure and provide best equipment to its armed forces while continuing to its dialogue with China on the border issue and maintaining cordial relations with it.

"On the one side, we are strengthening our capability in the border, on the other side, we have established a border management mechanism with China that is now functioning satisfactorily," he said.

On cyber security, Antony said though India is a "latecomer" in terms of putting up a mechanism in this regard, there was an overall coordination within the government and "we are confident of protecting our cyber assets."