In this context, the prime minister identified three pillars of India's global engagement that included sustaining capital inflows to supplement domestic investment, leveraging access to high-end technologies around the world for development and ensuring that the country's growth was not constrained by scarcity of natural resources.

All these require active engagement by India in all multilateral forums, and in the shaping of the world order, whether in the field of trade, international finance or the international economy, the prime minister said.

Insularity is not an option, the prime minister emphasised.

'India should play a role in the international arena in a manner that makes a positive contribution to finding solutions to major global challenges, whether in the field of trade or climate change,' he said.

He stressed that India's role should not be seen as unnecessarily confrontationist - an allusion to past stances - and it should cooperate with other countries in finding solutions to issues that are proving intractable like the Doha round of trade talks or on emission issues of climate change negotiations.

Without naming Pakistan, Manmohan Singh said India had been a victim of terrorism but would strive to engage neighbours constructively to resolve differences through dialogue.

'India has a stake in the prosperity and stability of all our South Asian neighbours,' the prime minister said, outlining a vision of the region where each country has a stake in the growth and development of the other in common interest.

On Monday, the envoys had a closed-door session with National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan that stretched for over two-and-a-half hours.