India is in the process of formulating a strategy to ease tensions with Pakistan and is to announce some steps in the next two days, a government source confirmed today.
Hopes rose today for an easing of tension between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan after a senior US peace envoy said he expected India to take steps to cool the conflict in the next few days.
"There is a menu of options which we are looking at," the source said, on condition of anonymity.
These included increasing India's diplomatic representation in Islamabad, lifting a ban on Pakistani aircraft using Indian airspace and restoring bus and train links.
India pruned its embassy staff and took other punitive measures against Islamabad in December following an attack on its parliament it blamed on Pakistan-based militants.
US envoy Mr Richard Armitage announced in Estonia last night that India had pledged to make "military gestures" and take diplomatic action to ease tensions with Pakistan.
These would be as a gesture of goodwill after Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf gave a commitment to Mr Armitage he would "permanently" end attacks by Pakistan-based militants on Indian targets.
The government source said it was not likely any military de-escalation would take place until Musharraf's pledges have been verified on the ground.
AFP