Monday, July 3 2006 13:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee stressed the importance of defence diplomacy in resolving outstanding issues with neighbours, while not ruling out Kargil-like conflicts or intrusions.

"War is ruled out and India is making an experiment to resolve the outstanding issues among its neighbours . defence diplomacy has become an important ingredient of our overall diplomacy," he told the 'War and Peace' programme of Doordarshan News tonight.

While not completely ruling out conflicts and intrusions like that what happened in Kargil, the Defence Minister said, however, that there was a general recognition that problems would have to be resolved through dialogues and discussions among the countries concerned.

''Other countries consider that there cannot be peace in Asia without taking into account India's role along with China, Japan and other important players,'' he said.

Describing his recent MOU in China as the first of its kind, the Defence Minister said that there was scope for further deepening ties between the two countries on its basis.

To a question he said that the Navy would be strengthened further in the wake of the current security environment.

Asked to comment on complaints that the force level was coming down, Mukherjee said that steps were being taken to make the services a still more attractive career option for the youth, including women. The government was studying the Ajay Vikram Singh Committee report aimed at making the career in the Armed Forces more attractive.

Stating that more Sainik Schools were being planned country-wide, he said that the forces would be fully equipped by the next 10 years to meet any eventuality.