In an exclusive interview with NDTV on whether India is safer, a year after 26/11, Home Minister P Chidambaram says war with Pakistan is not an option.

NDTV: You have gone on record to express your own exasperation with Pakistan's refusal to act against Hafiz Saeed. Every time Rehman Malik speaks, he seems to come up with one more bizarre statement after the other. Does this not influence the policy toward Pakistan at some point?
 
Chidambaram: It does, who said it doesn't? Which is why we have said there will be no dialogue with Pakistan until they bring the perpetrators to trial and until they dismantle the infrastructure. It has influenced our policy toward Pakistan.
 
NDTV: But yet we're in Sharm-el-Sheikh, yet we are in Srinagar with the PM reaching out a hand to Pakistan. What is this hand of friendship to be based upon?
 
Chidambaram: I think you are quoting selectively. Sharm-el-Sheikh statement has been explained in Parliament by the PM and I think the people have accepted that explanation. As far as the speech in Srinagar is concerned, in that very speech, he said that all this is conditional upon Pakistan taking action to dismantle the terror infrastructure. We have not resigned from that position and we adhere to that position firmly. I think the message has gone home clear but beyond that to suggest that you can indulge in any other adventurous act, I'm quite afraid does not recognize the reality of today's politics.
 
NDTV: What kind of adventurous act? What you're saying is that beyond a certain kind of tough diplomacy, there are no options for India in today's world, given geopolitical realities?
 
Chidambaram: As the PM asked rhetorically in Parliament, is there an option to go to war? Therefore I think we must understand the realities of today's geopolitics...we have brought enormous pressure to Pakistan and I think some of our friends continue to apply pressure to Pakistan. But beyond that it would be rash to speculate on any other kind of action.