Looking for an Indian view on the security scenario in the sub-continent, visiting commander of the US Pacific Command (USPACOM) Admiral Thomas Fargo and his Indian counterparts did some plain-speak on Kashmir and cross border terrorism at his hour-and-a-half long briefing with Army Chief-designate Lt Gen N.C. Vij.Fargo’s second visit this year is being viewed as an opportunity to carry Indian hard-talk to Washington. For India, the meeting is crucial as it comes close on the heels of a ‘‘request’’ from the US to ‘‘go slow’’ on its Afghan policy. While Fargo flew into New Delhi looking for Indian views on the ‘‘growing influence of China in the South-East region, especially Myanmar, and the Maoist insurgency in Nepal and it’s Chinese links,’’ the Indian military top brass updated him on the Kashmir situation.According to Ministry of Defence sources, Fargo as the commander of USPACOM talks directly to the US President as well as the Defence Secretary and is an influential man on policy issues on the Pacific rim countries.To give the Admiral a ‘‘first hand experience’’ of the Indian viewpoint, a quick visit to the LoC as well as Siachen has been included. Fargo, who left for Srinagar after a lunch hosted by Air Chief S. Krishnaswamy, met Lt Gen V.G. Patankar, GOC-in-C of the Srinagar-based 15 Corp to get a briefing on the situation in the Kashmir Valley. Also included is a trip to Leh and Siachen where he gets to have a look at the Line of Actual Control with China as well as the Actual Ground Position Line with Pakistan.
