“I have said publicly that I do not believe that the attacks were directed by the Pakistani state and I think it's important to restate that, David Miliband told a news conference.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said last week the Mumbai attacks must have had support from some of Pakistan's official agencies. Islamabad has denied this, blaming the raid on “non-state actors.

India has provided Pakistan data from satellite phones used by the attackers and what it describes as the confession of a surviving gunman, part of a dossier of evidence.

Miliband's statement highlighted differences between India and some Western allies. While India believes that agencies like Pakistan's military spy agency were involved, diplomats have hinted there is not enough evidence to show this.

Miliband said it was clear the attacks originated from Pakistan, and Islamabad had to crack down on the militants operating on its soil, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) which has been blamed for the Mumbai attacks.

“We are absolutely clear about the origin of the terrorist attack, and the responsibility that exists in Pakistan to bring the perpetrators to justice, Miliband said.

“What is relevant is the approach of the Pakistani state to the LeT organisation and the way the Pakistani state takes on the menace of the LeT organisation, he added.

India has become increasingly frustrated at what it sees as Pakistan's failure to take strong action against those it blames for the Mumbai attacks, in which 179 people were killed last November.

The attacks revived tension between the two nuclear-armed nations that have fought three wars since 1947.

Miliband praised India for the “maturity and “wisdom of its response to the attacks, referring to New Delhi's decision to respond diplomatically rather than militarily to the attacks.

“The response of the Indian government both in terms of the strengthening of its internal defences but also the way it has pursued a regional strategy of wisdom and strength has been exactly the right response, he said.

More must be done

Reacting to pressure after the Mumbai strike, Pakistan raided militant organisations and detained some Islamist leaders.

But the action did not satisfy India, which said such detentions amounted to little. Miliband too said Pakistan needed to do more.

“You know there is a history of people being arrested and then not being prosecuted or brought to justice, he said, adding Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari was “sincere about tackling militancy and needed the Pakistani state machinery's support.

“In this case it is essential that those who have been arrested are brought to justice and if they are found guilty then properly punished. And that is an appropriate response to the evidence that has been presented.

Miliband warned that Pakistan faced its modern threat from within its borders and it needed to tackle the roots of militant organisations such as the LeT.

“We see the correct approach as being what the Pakistani authorities call a multi-pronged approachâ€"a security approach, a political approach, an economic approach.

“But...the difficult thing in counterinsurgency is to put it into practice and that is what the Pakistani government need to do. And that is what they will have our full support in doing.