India and Pakistan have begun their first official talks since the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack, in a meeting that is unlikely to lead to an immediate breakthrough but may help thaw relations.
Any progress made by the two nations' foreign secretaries, Pakistan's Salman Bashir and his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao, may also help Western efforts to stabilise Afghanistan.
The BBC reports that they have to agree which subjects to cover in the talks, in New Delhi.
India wants to focus on terrorism while Pakistan is looking to the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, which has been the cause of two of the three wars between the two countries.
The Mumbai attack, in which more than 150 people were killed, brought to a sudden halt the last attempt by the countries to solve the bitter divisions between them.
India claims the attack was carried out by Pakistan-based militants.
Analysts say the peace talks are being resumed under pressure from the US, but few experts expect any major breakthroughs.
