ISLAMABAD, Oct 11: National Security Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Mahmud Ali Durrani on Saturday arrived in New Delhi on a five-day visit to discuss progress on the composite dialogue, anti-terrorism cooperation and other security-related issues.

During his visit, Gen Durrani would meet his counterpart M K Narayanan, leading figures in the Indian government, opposition and a number of high-ranking officials.

This is the first time the two countries are holding a meeting at the level of national security advisers.

Mr Narayanan invited Gen Durrani for the visit.

Gen Durrani said in an interview before his departure that he was going to India with an open mind with no fixed agenda.

It is expected that Gen Durrani would be carrying forward the discussions between President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month in New York.

His focus would, however, be on strengthening anti-terror cooperation between the two countries and making the Joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism (JATM) forum effective. The JATM was established by the two countries a few years ago for exchange of information and assisting each other in investigations of incidents of terrorism. However, the quality of information exchange has remained poor because of deficit trust between the two countries.

Mr Zardari and Mr Singh had agreed in their meeting in New York, on convening a special meeting of the JATM. No dates have been fixed so far for the meeting.

Diplomatic sources said that Gen Durrani and Mr Naryanan would prepare grounds for the meeting of the anti-terror mechanism and would possibly fix dates for it.

The meeting of national security advisers has gained further significance in the backdrop of recent deadly terrorist strikes in the two countries.

Additionally, the bombing of Indian embassy in Kabul and ceasefire violations along the LoC would be discussed.

Foreign Office spokesman Muhammad Sadiq, while announcing Gen Durrani’s visit to New Delhi, said Pakistan had made a number of suggestions to India to address mutual concerns on security and counter-terrorism, which include making JATM more effective and regular contacts between director generals military operations to ensure respect for ceasefire.

Gen Durrani would also meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Parnab Mukherjee, External Affairs Secretary Mr Shiv Shankar Menon and BJP president Rajnath Singh and discuss with them bilateral issues.

Mr Durrani will return home on October 15.

APP ADDS: Mr Durrani said on Saturday that the purpose of his visit to India was friendship. “Friendship is my agenda,” Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Mahmud told newsmen at the New Delhi airport.

“I have an open agenda. Friendship is my agenda. It is a pleasure being in Delhi. I am coming here after a number of years. I look forward to my meetings in Delhi ... meeting some old friends,” he said.

Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik and senior officials of the High Commission received him at the airport.