India at SAARC is always caught in a strange situation: how to take leadership and initiative without seeming authoritative or "big-brotherly". It is time the country shed this attitude.

The best way is to be accommodating and consultative while taking decisions and being unilateral in making concessions.

The first step is, perhaps, to allow duty-free imports from all SAARC countries.

Pranav Sachdeva

New Delhi

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Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 13th SAARC Summit, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, gave out the image of a dynamic Asia and an action plan for SAARC to be part of it.

The article "Manmohan offers open skies pact for SAARC" (Business Line, November 13) talks of proposals to promote trade, education, energy, food security, crisis management and the like.

Putting an end to cross-border terrorism could ensure faster and uniform growth.

A. Jacob Sahayam

Thiruvanthapuram

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