Washington, Mar. 21 : The Chairman of the US Armed Service Committee, Senator Carl Levin, has said the fates of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan are interlinked, while indicating that the improvement in Indo-Pak relations is the key to stability in South Asia.

The leading Democrat lawmaker also said India and Pakistan faced a common threat of terrorism.

"In South Asia, the interests and fates of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan are linked. The Mumbai attacks last November, and the aftermath, remind us that tensions still exist between India and Pakistan, and stability between these two countries is vital to stability in the region," the Daily Times quoted Levin, as saying.

His remarks come in the wake of reports that Washington has asked New Delhi to pull back troops from its border with Pakistan, to ease bilateral tensions.

The US reportedly is trying to defuse tensions between India and Pakistan so that Islamabad can focus on Afghanistan. (ANI)