New Delhi, Dec 28 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said that India is ready to face any challenge and those who wished to weaken it would be disappointed.

Delivering the Bhimsen Sachar Memorial Lecture here on Saturday, Dr. Singh said, "India knows how to rise to a challenge."

"A united India has made history this past century and a united India will continue to do so in the march of progress. Those who wish to weaken our unity and hurt our nation should remember that India has always endured and emerged stronger. The force of history is on our side. Those who wish to see us diminished will be solely disappointed," he added.

"We will not betray the sacred memory of people like Bhimsen Sachar who dedicated their lives to build a new India free from the fear of war, want and exploitation," Dr. Singh said.

He urged all political parties to eschew the temptation of focussing on narrow agendas.

Relations between India and Pakistan have simmered after the former blamed the outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba, for the spate of terror attacks in India.

India has blamed Pakistan of backing out of its earlier commitment to take action against those involved in the terror attacks and has asked Islamabad to stop terrorist outfits operating from its soil.

On the contrary, Pakistan has denied any links to the assault and has promised to cooperate with India in investigations into the assault, if provided with proof. (ANI)