The recent deployment of nearly 10,000 Indian troops along the open Indo-Nepal boarder is New Delhi’s internal matter, Minister for Communications and government spokesman Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta said Thursday.

“The deployment is India’s internal matter. We are neither sad nor happy,” he told reporters in Jhapa. This is the first official reaction to the deployment of Indian troops along the border as several members in parliament described the move an unfriendly act.

New Delhi claims Pakistan is using Nepal as a base for anti-Indian activities as Kathmandu assured its southern neighbour it will not permit hostile activities against neighbours from its soil.

The troop deployment comes as Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh called Nepal’s Maoists terrorists while proclaiming support for King Gyanendra and the government.

The support for the king and government comes as the rebels recently stepped up calls for a republic. Government is “awaiting a Maoist response to the third round of

peace talks” after “clear and positive government proposals” have been sent to the rebels, Gupta said.

Gupta rejected a Maoist proposal for direct talks between Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and the insurgents by-passing present negotiators to negotiate a peace.

“The next round of talks can be fruitful if the attitude of the Maoists are positive,” Gupta said.