Pakistan wary of Sharon's India trip

Sharon's four-day trip to New Delhi and Mumbai is the highest-level Israeli visit to India since ties were established 11 years ago and will underscore a mutual struggle with Muslim militancy.

Noting the trip coincides with the second anniversary of the September 11 attacks in the United States, Sharon spokesman Raanan Gissin said: "Our contacts with India are definitely a triangular strategic relationship, in line with the US stance on world terror."

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Such sentiments are echoed in India, which like Israel considers itself vulnerable to hostilities by Islamic militants.

Relations between the two countries have been underpinned by burgeoning Israeli defence sales. India spends as much as $2 billion a year on Israel's ordnance and military technology exports, according to Israeli security sources.

India's Islamic neighbour Pakistan, which India accuses of sponsoring militant violence against Indian targets, expressed deep concern over Sharon's trip, which has also stirred fears among India's minority Muslims.

"If this axis is directed against Muslims all over the world and if this axis is directed against Pakistan and Pakistani Muslims, we would be most concerned as this would be a negative development," a Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman said in Islamabad, which does not recognise the Jewish state.

"The other dimension we are worried about is the growing Indo-Israeli defence cooperation. This has a destabilising effect on the region and we are deeply concerned about it," he said.