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New Delhi, Mar 18 (ANI): Commenting on the WikiLeaks disclosure that indicated that the Congress had paid lawmakers to survive a vote of confidence in 2008, Defence Minister A. K. Antony on Friday said India should be careful when dealing with foreign nations.

“Regarding this WikiLeaks, I cannot say anything about its authenticity. Only thing is, my opinion is, however friendly a country may be, our people (Indians) should always be careful when dealing with foreign countries,” Antony told reporters on the sidelines of the Territorial Army Day Parade here.

A set of India-related diplomatic cables on the Indo-US nuclear deal released by the WikiLeaks, claims that an aide of Congress leader Satish Sharma had told a US diplomat that the party had paid crores to several lawmakers to ensure that they voted for the deal in Parliament.

In a cable dated July 17, 2008 sent to the US State Department, Charge d’Affaires Steven White wrote about a conversation that the embassy’s political counsellor had with Rajya Sabha MP Satish Sharma.

Commenting over a recent incident of a senior army officer praising Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Antony noted the armed forces’ are ‘apolitical’.

“I am yet to get a report of what happened there. I don’t want to react on the basis of media reports. One good tradition of the armed forces compared to many others is that they are apolitical. That tradition, I am sure, armed forces will continue; they are apolitical,” he said.

General Officer Commanding (GOC) Major General I S Singha of the Golden Katar Division had on March 14 said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has all the qualities of a successful Army commander, as he keeps deadline for completion of work, and ensures that target is achieved by the set time.

Speaking at the inauguration of three-day ‘Know Your Army’ exhibition organised by the Golden Katar Division of the Army in Ahmedabad, Major General Singha said: “Chief Minister Modi has all the qualities of a successful Army commander. His programmes are aimed at development of both the state and the nation.”

Defence Minister Antony earlier today reviewed the Territorial Army Day Parade, which was held to commemorate 61 glorious years of the Territorial Army.

Antony visited the exhibition organised by departmental Territorial Army units, including units of railways, oil sector, general hospital and ecological task forces.

He complemented all the Terriers for doing yeoman service to the nation as also for putting up a splendid display of capabilities.

The parade was also attended by Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju, three Service Chiefs and other civil and military dignitaries, including military and defence attaches from foreign countries. (ANI)