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CNN Live Saturday

India Conducts Military Exercises Close to Pakistani Border

Aired May 05, 2001 - 12:13   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: Near its border with Pakistan, India is about to hold one of its largest military exercises in more than a decade. CNN's Satinder Bindra joins us by videophone from the headquarters for the exercises -- Satinder.

SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Donna, in just about a half- hour, some 50,000 troops will participate in a mock battle, and this is the first time that India is conducting such an exercise in a setting in which chemical, biological and even nuclear weapons can be used.

Of course, India most fears a first nuclear strike from just across the border with Pakistan. That is perhaps why that India is holding its exercise here, just 90 kilometers from the border with Pakistan. India has also named this exercise "Complete Victory."

In 1987, Donna, India held a similar large exercise here. Pakistan then grew very concerned. It thought the exercise perhaps was a ruse for an invasion, and both sides came pretty close to war. This time, those fears are not so heightened, but clearly concern on the other side of the border, from Pakistan.

Pakistan saying that India did not inform it of this exercise well on time. India responding, well, they did.

Reporting live from western India, Satinder Bindra, CNN.

KELLEY: Satinder, thank you.

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