India is ready to play cricket with Pakistan, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha announced at a press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday.

If Pakistan responds positively, it would open up the possibility of Test cricket between the two traditional rivals.

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The announcement marks a departure from India's position -- that there would be no cricket till Pakistan stopped cross-border terrorism.

Recently, India had permitted for its U-22 team to play against Pakistan in Sri Lanka.

Board of Control for Cricket in India president Jagmohan Dalmiya has consistently called for cricket between the two nations. Recently, he had lobbied the government to allow India to send its team to Pakistan to take part in the Asian Test Championships. The Centre had refused to entertain his request that time.

Various Pakistani players and officials have echoed Dalmiya's thoughts.

The government had snapped the cricket links after the December 13, 2001, attack on Parliament.