Envoys to present India's case effectively amid Indo-Pak chill

NEW DELHI: The first conclave of all the Indian envoys, held in the backdrop of Mumbai attacks, ended here today with the message of the top political leadership to present New Delhi's case effectively amid the new chill in relations with Pakistan.

The three-day conclave of over 120 Indian Ambassadors and High Commissioners, addressed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and several other Cabinet ministers, deliberated on ways to build pressure on Pakistan to ensure it ends terrorism emanating from its soil.

The Prime Minister told the conference that India saw the terror strikes in Mumbai as an "attack on India's ambitions to become an economic power", a message that the envoys are expected to highlight in their host countries.

In an oblique reference to Pakistan, Singh said "non-state actors were practicing terrorism, aided and abetted by state establishments".

He asked the envoys to gear up their diplomatic efforts to underline that India was destined to become a major economic and knowledge power.

The tone for the conference was set by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who described the terror infrastructure in Pakistan as the "greatest danger" to the entire civilised world and wanted the global community to do more in making Islamabad act against the scourge.

Besides being addressed by the Prime Minister and Mukherjee, the envoys also interacted with President Pratibha Patil and Vice President Hamid Ansari.

Commerce Minister Kamal Nath, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Valayar Ravi, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Deputy Chairperson of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee Admiral Sureesh Mehta also addressed the conclave.