No factual basis to Pak allegations of India funding Taliban: Nirupama Rao

New Delhi, Nov.4: Rubbishing Pakistan's allegations that India is providing arms to the Taliban in South Waziristan, New Delhi has said that there is no truth in these accusations.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar , she said " There is no factual basis for such accusations ".

India wants a peaceful and stable Pakistan, she added.

Rao also downplayed the recent objections raised by China on Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama's, proposed visit to Tawang

She said there are no strains in the relationship between India and China.

Earlier, while addressing a gathering at the annual Day function of the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), Rao described Sino-Indian ties as "complex", and aded that it would take some time to resolve all outstanding issues including the boundary dispute between the two neighbours.

On restarting the composite dialogue with Pakistan, she said it would be "realistically possible" only after Islamabad dismantled the infrastructure of terrorism on its soil.

"We have conveyed many times our desire to engage in meaningful dialogue with Pakistan, but a dialogue with Pakistan was "realistically possible only after Pakistan dismantled the infrastructure of terrorism on its soil. Pakistan must fulfil its commitment not to allow its territory to be used for terror activities against India," she said.

Pakistan's military spokesperson Major General Athar Abbas had alleged on Tuesday that Pakistani security forces had seized Indian-made arms and equipment from the Taliban bastion of South Waziristan and added that Islamabad would soon raise the issue through diplomatic channels.

External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna on Tuesday had refuted the allegations, saying Pakistan's internal developments were of "their own making".

Without naming Afghanistan, Rao said terrorism in Afghanistan was receiving support from "contiguous areas" and asked the international community to pressure Islamabad to control such extremist outfits.

--ANI