India 'begins border pullback'

India says it troops have begun withdrawing from the border with Pakistan.

Defence Minister George Fernandes told reporters the pullback could be over within six weeks.

The two countries between them deployed more than a million soldiers along their common border after an attack on the Indian parliament last December.

Delhi blamed this on militants backed by Pakistan, a charge Pakistan denies.

India has said the withdrawal would not include soldiers stationed along the Line of Control, dividing the disputed Kashmir region.

The two nuclear-armed rivals have so far showed no signs of moving towards peace talks.