NEW DELHI, March 19: India’s National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan said on Sunday that the Line of Control (LoC) dividing Jammu and Kashmir could form the basis for a lasting solution to the vexed issue of Kashmir. At the same time, he accused Pakistan of breeding a new form of jihadi terror aimed at fanning communal tensions within India and pointed to the bomb attacks in the temple town of Varanasi this month that killed 15 people and injured more than 100.

New Delhi has always maintained that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, including the part administered by Pakistan, is an integral part of India, and Mr Narayanan’s comments marked a departure from this position.

In a wide-ranging interview with CNN-IBN news channel on Sunday, Mr Narayanan referred to the resolution of the Kashmir dispute and said: “It may not be easy. The point really is, I presume, that if finally you have to reach an agreement there must be a certain amount of give and take.

“I suppose when people talk in terms of the Line of Control it is saying that: ‘All right, what has been the actual ground position in the last so many years.’ That may be the starting point for an exercise to any changes that you might like to make.”

But Mr Narayanan said Pakistan did not appear serious about finding a solution to the Kashmir problem and India was confused by suggestions emanating from Islamabad. “Pakistani suggestions will not lead us forward,” he said.

Mr Narayanan admitted that Indians could be becoming “a part of the Pakistani-sponsored jihadi movement” in the country. “There is a very distinct attempt to alter the mix, if I may say so. We do find, here and there, individuals who are Indians who are getting involved in these (terrorist) offences,” he said. “Almost all of them are sort of inveigled into going across. Sometimes it is Bangkok that is the port from which they go and sometimes it is West Asia. By and large, they are Pakistani connections,” he said.

Even so, Mr Narayanan did not rule out a dialogue with Pakistan-based United Jihad Council chairman Syed Salahuddin. He also spoke about the India-China border dispute and said both countries’ leaders were “ready to go forward”, even as New Delhi and Beijing would “have to consider giving up their respective claims” related to the disputed border.

Mr Narayanan, who is India’s special representative for talks with China on the border dispute, said: “The last round of Indo-China talks were quite a big step forward. The leaders of both the countries are ready to go forward on the boundary dispute. India and China will have to consider giving up their respective claims.”

He was also confident of the US Congress ratifying the civilian nuclear deal struck with India during the visit of President George W. Bush this month, saying “We are optimistic”.

According to him, the Bush administration is confident of pushing through the nuclear deal in the US Congress.

—Online