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India worried that China, Pakistan are arming Nepal

India is worried about reports that regional rivals China and Pakistan are giving Nepal military help, Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee was quoted yesterday as saying.

"There is a problem," Mukherjee said in New Delhi when asked for comment on military aid from China and Pakistan to Nepal to help its army crush a Maoist insurgency, the Asian Age newspaper said.

The remarks were believed to be India's first public comments that it is concerned by military help from China and Pakistan to Nepal, traditionally seen as New Delhi's diplomatic backyard.

New Delhi was trying to settle the issue at the diplomatic level, the newspaper quoted the minister as saying.

New Delhi, which had been Nepal's biggest weapons supplier, cut off non-lethal arms shipments to Nepal after King Gyanendra fired the government and seized power in February.

Gyanendra said his takeover was necessary to stem a Maoist revolt that has claimed 12,500 lives since 1996 but his move has drawn international criticism.

Analysts have suggested that New Delhi has become increasingly alarmed about growing Chinese and Pakistani influence in Nepal since India, Britain and the US, suspended arms supplies.
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