India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has invited the main political separatist alliance in Indian Kashmir for talks on the future of the disputed region.
Mr. Singh's spokesman says the meeting with the All Parties Hurriyat Conference is scheduled for September 5.
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference, an umbrella alliance of two dozen Kashmiri political separatist groups, held two rounds of talks with India's previous government in 2004, but little progress was made.
Kashmir is the only Muslim majority state in predominantly Hindu India. It is split between India and Pakistan and claimed by both. Muslim separatists have been pushing for the region's independence since 1947.
Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.