Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday said India wanted peace with its neighbors and desired to resolve differences through dialogue. In his annual address from the heavily-guarded ramparts of the 17th century Red Fort, he also called for an end to violent separatist protests in India-administered Kashmir and invited Maoist rebels for talks, according to a report of DPA. "As far as Pakistan is concerned, we expect from them that they would not let their territory be used for acts of terrorism against India," Singh said. "We have been emphasizing this in all our discussions with the Pakistan government. If this is not done, we cannot progress far in our dialogue with Pakistan," he said. Singh also said his government was ready to talk with separatists in Kashmir. "The years of violence should now end. Such violence would not benefit anyone," he said. "I believe that India's democracy has the generosity and flexibility to be able to address the concerns of any area or group in the country." Singh, describing a Maoist insurgency as a "serious" challenge to India's internal security, reiterated the government's offer of talks with militants who lay down arms. Singh struck an optimistic note on the economy saying a "new India" was being built in which every citizen would have a stake. The prime minister pledged to tame inflation and promised to build world-class infrastructure to spur sustainable growth. "Today, India stands among the fastest-growing economies of the world. As the world's largest democracy, we have become an example for many other countries to emulate," Singh said.
