NEW DELHI: Indian Premier Manmohan Singh said on Thursday that Pakistan should not use its soil for "anti-India activity" and accused Pakistani army of carrying out the attack at the Line of Control.

"India has always strived for friendship with its neighbouring countries," Singh said during his annual address marking India's independence day from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi.

"However, for relations with Pakistan to improve, it is essential that they prevent the use of their territory and territory under their control for any anti-India activity," Singh said.

The Congress prime minister was speaking from a bullet-proof enclosure at the historic Red Fort which had been turned into a virtual fortress with tens of thousands of security forces.

Singh's comments came against the backdrop of the killing of five Indian soldiers in held Kashmir last week that New Delhi blames on the Pakistan army and which has stoked tensions between the neighbours.

The renewed tensions have cast a shadow over hopes of a resumption of stalled peace talks between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Since the killings, regular skirmishes have been taking place between the armies of the two countries along the heavily militarised LoC.

India passed a resolution in parliament Wednesday condemning the "unprovoked attack" and accusing Pakistan of launching the attack.

Pakistan has denied involvement of its soldiers in the ambush, and called it retaliation after the Indian forces opened unprovoked firing at the LoC.

The resolution followed a similar one passed in Pakistan's parliament a day earlier.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif pledged Wednesday to respond to the rising tensions in Kashmir with "restraint and responsibility".