‘Want no confrontation with China’

Antony’s statement comes less than a week after the countries, during Pranab Mukherjee’s visit, decided that Sikkim would be discussed between special representatives at an early date.

However, in a balancing act of sorts, Antony announced the setting up of an Integrated Space Cell to counter the “growing threat” to Indian space assets. “Offensive counter space systems like anti-satellite weaponry, new classes of heavy-lift and small boosters and an array of Military Space Systems have emerged in our neighbourhood,” the Minster said, in a veiled reference to China.