New Delhi: Indicating Pakistan's response to its peace initiative was not enough, India on May 7 made it clear that "several specific steps" would need to be taken by Islamabad to move this process "meaningfully forward".

"We welcome the fact that Pakistan has responded to the initiatives of our Prime Minister. It is quite clear that several specific steps would need to be taken by Pakistan to move this process meaningfully forward," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters.

"We on our part, remain fully committed to improving relations between the two countries," he said.

The spokesman said that in order to take the Prime Minister's initiative forward, India has sought "agreement" for the appointment of the new Indian High Commissioner to Islamabad.

Though there is no official word on it, speculation is rife that India's Ambassador to China Shiv Shankar Menon is the front-runner for the key posting.

"The normal diplomatic practice is that the sending state seeks agreement, the receiving state accepts it. Only then the name is announced," he said.

He replied in the negative to a question whether Pakistan has sent the name of its High Commissioner to New Delhi.

PTI