CALCUTTA, Jan 12: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said On Wednesday that he wants "out-of-the-box" solutions to settle his country's long running disputes with neighbours Pakistan and China.

Mr Singh told a meeting organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), India had to forge strategic relationships with the world, including Pakistan and China.

"We must move away from incrementalization to seeking out-of-the-box solutions to the challenges we face," said Mr Singh. "Whether it is the challenge of development and political and social stability within South Asia or the challenge of stabilizing our relations with Pakistan and China," he added.

"We must have the courage to question our assumptions and challenge preconceived notions. We must show a willingness to listen to others, even as we articulate our own concerns in a reasonable and convincing manner."

"We cannot compromise on our core national security concerns, nor indeed can we compromise on the values that define our nationhood. In dealing with the outside world every nation draws a bottom line," he said.

"However, once we have drawn this bottom line we must have the imagination and courage to engage the world, to strike deals, to win friends and influence people." -AFP