'Those Who Fear India's New Posture Have Started Reacting': Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Myanmar Operations

New Delhi: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Thursday morning that the Indian Army's operation to neutralise two camps of militants on Tuesday has led to a "change in mindset."

"Change requires a change in mindset. A simple action against insurgents has changed the mindset of the security scenario of the country," said the Defence Minister.

Mr Parrikar also said, "Those who fear India's new posture have started reacting," in what is seen as a reference to a Pakistani minister warning on Wednesday that "Pakistan is not like Myanmar."

Pakistan's Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan's statement was in response to Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore's remarks in an interview that India's military action in Myanmar to hit back at militants who killed 18 soldiers in Manipur was a message to other countries.

To a specific question on whether he meant dealing with cross border terrorism from Pakistan, Mr Rathore had said, "It is undoubtedly a message to all nations that harbour any intentions - be it the west or the specific country we went into right now."

Today, Mr Parrikar refused to go into details of Tuesday's operations, in which the Indian Army liquidated two camps of militants inside Myanmar territory in a 45-minute surgical strike carried out by a team of the elite 21 Para (Special Forces).

He also refused to comment on a Myanmar official denying that the Indian army carried out its ops inside its territory. The Myanmar government has made contradictory statements in the last two days about the operation.

Zaw Htay, director of the office of Myanmar President Thein Sein, was quoted by the Wall Street Journal as confirming the Indian operation in his country. "He said that there was 'coordination and cooperation' between the Indian troops and Myanmar's armed forces based in the area of the raids, but added that no Myanmar soldiers were directly involved," Wall Street Journal reported.

In a Facebook post, also on Wednesday, Zaw Htay, however said, "According to the information sent by Tatmadaw (Myanmar army) battalions on the ground, we have learned that the military operation was performed on the Indian side at India-Myanmar border."