New Delhi  - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday said his country's ties with Pakistan could return to normal only after Islamabad prevented its territory from being used to attack India.

Singh's comments came in the backdrop of mounting tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours following the November 26 Mumbai attacks which Indian officials say are masterminded by Lashkar-e-Taiba, a militant group based in Pakistan.

More than 170 people including nine terrorists died in the 60 hours of attacks that targeted hotels, a railway station and a Jewish centre in Mumbai.

Addressing an election rally in India-administered Kashmir, Singh said the country was committed to resolving all outstanding disputes with Pakistan through friendly dialogue.

"Our desire to get relations with Pakistan back to normal cannot be fulfilled until our neighbour stops its territory from being used for terrorist activities against our country," Singh said.

"Our good intentions should not be misconstrued as our weakness," Singh said adding it was clear that elements from Pakistan were involved in the Mumbai attacks. "Our fight against terrorism will continue."

Meanwhile, the lone captured terrorist in last month's carnage, Ajmal Amir Kasab has admitted to being a Pakistani national and sought legal aid from his country, Indian media reported.

Indian authorities claim Kasab is a member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Kasab wrote a letter to the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi confessing his role in the attacks and stating his entitlement to legal help to defend himself in Indian courts, the Times of India daily reported.

But Pakistan's English-language newspaper The Nation quoted Pakistani Deputy Head of Mission in New Delhi Afrasiab Mehdi saying that the High Commission had not received any letter from Kasab.

The Times said Kasab's letter contained details on each of his nine dead colleagues, their addresses and names of key LeT commanders who trained them - including Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, who was arrested by Pakistani police December 8. (dpa)