There is a widespread speculation that the talks may be put off to enable National Security Advisors to meet before that.
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At a media briefing here, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup faced a barrage of questions on FS-level talks, but he remained noncommittal on whether the talks will proceed as scheduled or will be put off. Today is January 7 and there are eight days to go before January 15, he remarked.
Six terrorists, who had sneaked into the country from Indo-Pak border in Pakistan, had attacked Indian Air Force base in Pathankot during the intervening night of January 1 and 2.
Stating that the Indian government’s Pakistan policy was clear and consistent, Swarup said India wanted friendly relations with all its neighbours, including Pakistan.
He said that the foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan will go ahead only if Islamabad acts on the “actionable intelligence” provided by Delhi on the Pathankot terror attack.
“As far as we are concerned the ball is now in Pakistan’s court”.
China voiced support for strengthened counter-terrorism cooperation between Pakistan and India on Thursday, after the two countries’ prime ministers agreed to take actions against militants behind the attack on India’s Pathankot airbase last weekend.
The meeting came as India said it is waiting for “prompt and decisive action” as promised by Sharif to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a telephone call on Tuesday.
Asked if there was any time-frame within which Pakistan should take action, he said, “We are not imposing any deadline. We now await that prompt and decisive action”.
India had earlier shared a dossier with Pakistan which contains proofs of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed’s involvement in the attack.
The daily said it was “very good news” that India refused to bow down to pressure to stop the talks scheduled this month between the foreign secretaries of the two countries. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has recently said there are indications that some of the materials used by the terrorists were made in Pakistan.
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He stated that “Immediate concern is Pakistan’s response to Pathankot assault, which has as soon as once more renewed concentrate on the problem of cross-border terror”.
