'Radicalisation of Pakistani Society a Problem': National Security Advisor Ajit Doval

The threat of increasing radicalisation in Pakistan is a matter of concern, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said, adding that India was "sceptical" about Islamabad's ability and willingness to handle the situation.

Speaking at an Air Force event on Thursday, Mr Doval, who is India's top security officer, said, "Radicalisation of the Pakistani society, problems in Afghanistan are added problems. We are skeptical of the Pakistani government to tackle and completely take on these errant forces operating within their land," he said.

Mr Doval also said India wanted to deal with Pakistan "fairly" and had been trying to engage its neighbour in a dialogue.

"We want to deal with Pakistan in a way which is fair, correct, transparent and which is not bending to any of the pressure tactics or the blackmailing or the thinking that nuclear threshold probably will leave India with no option but to accept the covert war as a reality to which they don't have any response," he said.

Highlighting the complexities involving national security given India's population and the huge border, Mr Doval, a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau, said, "So it is quite a big task of managing this security of such a huge land, with a huge border and a border which is not with a very friendly neighbourhood. But the worst of it is that two of the neighbours are nuclear powers."

"Myanmar we have the insurgency problem, Bangladesh has an illegal migrants problem, Nepal is being used a territory for doing all erroneous tasks by notorious agencies," he added.