Defence minister Rajnath Singh too set to skip Russia’s V-Day parade

NEW DELHI: After PM Modi, defence minister Rajnath Singh is also set to skip Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow next week, amid heightened tensions with Pakistan. India is keeping all military options open against its western neighbour, as rival armies continue to exchange small arms fire along LoC.
Junior defence minister

Sanjay Seth

is likely to represent India at the 80th Victory Day celebrations in Moscow on May 9, an official said Saturday.
Though Russia had invited Modi for the ceremony, it was earlier decided that Singh would attend the event. Russia has invited leaders of several friendly nations, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, to attend the Victory Day parade.
Army Saturday said Pak Army had again “resorted to unprovoked small-arms firing” at its posts from across the LoC in areas like Kupwara, Uri and Akhnoor in J&K during the night. “Our troops responded promptly and proportionately,” it said.

Since the Pahalgam massacre, the ceasefire along the 778-km LoC and 198-km international boundary in J&K has frayed with the rival armies targeting each other with rifles, light and medium machine guns, though heavier weapons like 120mm mortars and 155mm howitzers have not yet been used by either side.
The Indian and Pakistani navies are also engaged in shadow-boxing in the Arabian Sea, with multiple firing drills.