'We share details after execution': Army chief Gen Rawat hints at retaliation for soldiers' beheading by Pak

New Delhi: Amid the raucous call for retaliation for the murder and mutilation of two Indian soldiers at the Line of Control, Army chief General Bipin Rawat today provided a cryptic response.

Last year, the army had conducted surgical strikes on terror bases across the line of control. The strikes were conducted days after the terror attack in Uri in September. The plans were kept secret and the announcement was made the next morning.

Today, General Rawat - who had personally monitored the strikes - was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India, "We don't talk about future plans beforehand; we share details after execution".

Army chief General Rawat also said that the defence sector is not getting its due share even as the Indian economy is developing, adding that India should learn from China on this count.

Calling it an "economy-security deficit", he said: "There is a general thinking that expenditure on defence is a burden on our economy... we need to appreciate that defence and economy go hand in hand."

"A strong military will help in ensuring stability along the border, within the nation and hinterland. That will help develop the economy," General Rawat said while speaking at a book release event here.

The Army chief said a strong force is required to ensure the safety of people and those who are investing.

"This is a deficit that remains. While we are developing our economy, the military somehow is not getting its due share," he said.

"We need to learn from China. While they were developing the economy, development of military is a part."

A parliamentary panel, in its report tabled in Parliament in this year's Budget session, had said that budgetary provisioning for the Army is critically short and is likely to adversely affect the modernisation and operational preparedness of the force.

The Army chief said that India needs to form alliances so that it can encircle its western and northern neighbours.

Calling partition a historic deficit, he said: "India had reach up to the Middle East, but with the creation of Pakistan there has been a break.

"We have to now look at new alliances -- whether it is through Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. It not only helps us in creating two-front dilemma for our western neighbours, but also encirclement of our northern neighbour from the west."

"While we talk of our own encirclement, we have to look at counter-encirclement of some of our adversaries. Developing alliances to overcome this deficit is important," General Rawat said.

He also said that India should form alliances that can get it into the United Nations Security Council.

"Other part of security deficit is creating alliances so that we find our rightful place in the Security Council. Time has come for India to have a say in all that happens in the United Nations," he said.

General Rawat's deputy, Vice Chief of Army Staff Sarath Chand, has already said the perpetrators will "face consequences". "I do not want to say what we will do. Instead of speaking, we will focus on our action at a time and place of our choosing," he told reporters yesterday.

"They (Pakistani army) said it was not done by their forces. Then who did it? Their people came to our area and did it. They will have to take responsibility and face consequences for it," the officer had said.

In an interview in January, General Rawat had not ruled out further action against terror bases. "We have a right to take action against the terrorists, who are being supported from across by the adversary," he had said.

This time, he had visited the area near Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir from where the mutilated bodies of Border Security Force constable Prem Sagar and armyman Paramjit Singh were recovered on Monday morning.

While Pakistan Army has denied any involvement in the killing, India promised action. The army issued a warning the same day, saying "such despicable act will be appropriately responded".

Asked at a cabinet meeting what would India's next step be, Union minister Arun Jaitley, who also handles the defence portfolio, had responded, "Have faith in your army".