Wednesday, February 1 2006 17:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Observing that his Government had taken 'many new initiatives' with regard to foreign policy and national security, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today(Feb 1,2006) said India's relations with many of its neighbors, including China and Pakistan, had been improving.

Addressing a televised press conference here, he said his government had also improved the country's relations with all major powers, especially the US, European Union, Russia and Japan, with whom India had entered into new strategic partnerships.

"Our Government has taken important steps to make the world adopt a more friendly approach to us," Singh said.

"We have been able to improve our relations with many of our neighbors, including our biggest neighbor China," the Prime Minister said. He noted that India was pursuing a composite dialogue with Pakistan with the 'understanding that in South Asia we have not just a shared past, but a shared future and a shared destiny.'

Singh emphasized that the development and well-being of all our neighbors was "In our interests".