Pakistan's army provoking India to react: US-India Biz Council

Describing the beheading of the Indian soldier on the Line of Control as "brutal", US-India Business Council President Ron Somers today said Pakistan is "provoking India to react".

Referring to the tension on the LoC following the brutalities committed on two Indian soldiers by Pakistan, a statement by Observer Research Foundation quoting Somers said, "Pakistan's army, ISI (Inter Services Intelligence)" and others are "provoking India to react" and to thereby "destabilise the region."

On January 8, Lance Naik Hemraj was beheaded in the Mendhar sector on the Line of Control. Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh was also killed in the incident.

Meanwhile, delivering a lecture on energy security at Observer Research Foundation, Somers said creation of 3,50,000 MW at the end of 12th Five-Year Plan is a great challenge for India.

He added that India and the United States should cooperate closely to meet the energy challenge.

Somers said there was a huge potential in the region between the Bay of Bengal and Bangladesh. Unfortunately, pricing policies of the government are holding back the investment which is needed for exploration, he added.

Somers claimed that the use of US technology, which are much more advanced with excellent safety mechanisms, would have averted Fukushima disaster.

"Even the Fukushima nuclear disaster following the tsunami in Japan would not have happened if it were US technology," he said.

He also described as a "brilliant idea" the thorium reactor plan of India, but said it needed many more years before becoming commercially viable.

"It would become a game changer, if it takes place," Somers said.

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