The Prime Minister said India's external policies have been dictated by a desire to have a supportive neighbourhood. "Unfortunately, we cannot choose our neighbours, and some countries like Pakistan have in the past encouraged and given sanctuary to terrorist and other forces who are antagonistic to India," he said.

Singh said India tried to minimise the impact of such hostility by fencing the border along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir from where the vast majority of the infiltrations into India tended to take place. Currently fencing was also going on at the border with Bangladesh, from where also a number of infiltrations have been reported.

"Consequent upon this, those in-charge of terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan have resorted to other stratagems to infiltrate terrorists into India. Infiltration is occurring from Nepal and from Bangladesh, though it has not totally ceased via the LoC. We are aware that the sea route is another option that is now being exercised. A few interceptions have taken place, though we failed to intercept the 10 Pakistani terrorists who came by sea from Karachi," he said.

A day after India presented evidence of involvement of elements based in Pakistan in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to Islamabad and international community, the Prime Minister the Mumbai attack was carried out by a Pakistani based outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.

"On the basis of investigations carried out (including by agencies of some foreign countries whose nationals were killed in the attack), there is enough evidence to show that, given the sophistication and military precision of the attack, it must have had the support of some official agencies in Pakistan," he said.

... contd.