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Summary
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said that US can play a vital role in improving Pak-India relationship; however both the countries must improve ties without any external involvement.Aboard a US military aircraft, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, flying to New Delhi, praised India's restraint and statesmanship following the 2008 Mumbai attacks and remarked at how both India and Pakistan have kept tensions at a manageable level. Relations between the South Asian neighbors have been strained since India suspended a peace process with Pakistan after the assault on Mumbai by Pakistan based militants. India sees Islamabad as unwilling to go after the insurgents responsible for the attacks, which killed 166 people. Earlier Gates said that a process of reconciliation and reintegration of Taliban fighters is essential to success in Afghanistan. He was referring to the invitation from Afghan leaders to lure fighters with no strong allegiance to terrorists away from the insurgency and reintegrate them into Afghan society. Robert Gates also said that he does not think chances are high that senior Taliban leaders will want to lay down arms until they see the tide turning. Even then, Gates said the chance of real reconciliation with Omar was slim.
