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Defence budget hike a proof of India's hegemonistic designs, says Pak

India's 28.2 per cent rise in defence budget spending revealed its "designs" to dominate the region, the Pakistan foreign office said on Tuesday.

New Delhi's largest defence spending increase in a single year provided further proof of India's "hegemonic designs," in the region and beyond, a foreign office spokesman said in a statement.

Countries neighbouring India "cannot but feel seriously concerned over Indian designs of military dominance in the region," the spokesman said.

"New Delhi has already amassed a huge arsenal of nuclear and conventional weapons far beyond its legitimate defence needs.

"The latest increase in its military budget will result in the induction of more arms in an environment where India faces no threat from any direction."

The spokesman accused India of vitiating the security climate in the region by "stonewalling" a resolution to the Kashmir dispute with Pakistan, cause of two of the three wars between the two countries.

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