There is an upsurge in infiltration from Pakistan and an increase in ceasefire violations, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said.

In an interview to Le Figaro, a leading French daily, Singh said he had conveyed India’s concerns in this regard to Pakistan’s new President Asif Ali Zardari when they met in New York last week. “He (Zardari) answered that he has been President only for the last two weeks.”

Describing his meeting with Zardari as ‘very good’, he said only time would tell whether Pakistan was in a position to go in the right direction.

“We have our concerns, particularly, as regards the origin of the attack against our embassy in Kabul in July.”

Asked if negotiations should be held with the Taliban for peace in Afghanistan, Singh said: “We are not opposed to efforts for reconciliation and dialogue with various factions, but we cannot extend it to those who aspire to destroy the idea of a pluralistic and democratic Afghanistan or who are fundamentally opposed to it.”

About the attacks on Christians in India, Singh regretted the incidents but emphasised that one should not generalise and draw a conclusion on the fate of minorities in India.

On whether India could help the global economy in these difficult times, Singh underlined that the main responsibility was that of the developed countries but India and China must take part in the solution.