Intelligence agencies warned of a possible infiltration attempt into India via the Gulf of Kutch on a day when Pakistan conducted a preparednesses test on its ballistic missile, escalating tensions amid a row over Kashmir.
The Border Security Force (BSF) and the Indian Coast Guard were put on high alert after Intelligence agencies warned of a likely attempt by Pak-trained commandos or terrorists via the Gulf of Kutch and Sir Creek area.
Security has been beefed up at Kandla and Mundra ports and other key installations in Gujarat's Kutch district.
Both the ports are located in the Gulf of Kutch in the Arabian Sea, in close vicinity of Pakistan.
The same region also supports many critical installations, including the world's largest oil refinery at Jamnagar run by Reliance Industries and also a similar facility operated by Russian giant Rosneft at Vadinar.
Security has been enhanced at all vital installations in Kutch, Anjar's Deputy Superintendent of Police Dhananjay Vaghela told reporters.
"We have received inputs that terrorists can enter through the sea route," he said, adding that the police and other security agencies have increased patrolling.
The infiltrators are trained in underwater warfare, according to intelligence agencies.
Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff Murlidhar Pawar had said last week coastal security measures have been stepped up.
"Pakistan should behave like a a normal neighbour instead of pushing terrorists into the neighbouring country," foreign ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Thursday.
He also condemned the irresponsible remarks and tweets by Pakistani leaders on matters internal to India while referring to the Pakistani minister's letter to the United Nations quoting Rahul Gandhi and Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar.
"We don't want to lend credence to the letter by reacting to it," Kumar said.
Pak tests ballistic missile
Pakistan carried out night-training launch of a nuclear surface-to-surface ballistic missile 'Ghaznavi' earlier on Thursday.
The move comes amid a bitter diplomatic row with India following the scrapping of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
The missile is capable of delivering multiple types of warheads up to 290 kms, Pakistan Armed Forces, Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted.
Raveesh Kumar said that Pakistan had informed New Delhi about the Ghaznavi missile test.
No Locus Standi on Kashmir
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday asserted that Pakistan has no locus standi on Kashmir and no country was backing it on the 'current issue'.
Addressing a DRDO event in Leh, Rajnath asked how can India talk to Pakistan when it keeps trying to destabilise India using terror.
"I want to ask Pakistan, when had Kashmir belonged to it. Kashmir was always part of India," he said. Pakistan should focus on addressing human rights violations and atrocities in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, the Union minister said.
He said US Defence Secretary Mark Esper during a telephonic conversation told him that abrogation of provisions of Article 370 was an internal matter of India.
"No country is with Pakistan on the current issue," Singh said.
Earlier this month, the government had revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 of the Constitution and divided the state into Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Pakistan tried to internationalise the issue but India made it unequivocally clear that this was an internal issue, a stand widely accepted by the global community.
