After five weeks of investigations and talking to the international community, New Delhi launched a diplomatic assault that yielded rich dividend through the week, the biggest being the admission by Pakistani authorities that the captured terrorist, Ajmal Amir Kasab, was indeed a Pakistani.

The week began with Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon handing over what he called ?material that has come out of the investigations into the Mumbai terror attacks?, to Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik in New Delhi, and the same dossier being handed over by Indian High Commissioner, Satyabrata Paul, to Pakistan Foreign Secretary, Salman Bashir, in Pakistan that morning.

External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, who has also written to his counterparts in various world capitals, described the 26/11 carnage as an ?unpardonable crime?, and minced no words that ?evidence? has been handed over.

New Delhi, which through the week handed over the dossier to the envoys stationed in India, came out in the open about the fact that it finds it hard to believe that a ?commando-style operation? like the one in Mumbai could be planned and executed without the knowledge of the Pakistan establishment.

The evidence shared with the world included the confession of Ajmal Amir Kasab, records of GPS and satellite phones used by the attackers, transcript of conversations between the attackers and their handlers in Pakistan and details of weapons and other articles recovered from the 10 LeT terrorists.

In the last 15 years, this was the fifth time that a diplomatic offensive to convince the international community has been undertaken. But on this occasion, sources said, it has been ?unprecedented?. In the past, India reached out to the international community during the CTBT negotiations, after Pokharan-II and during the Kargil conflict, and most recently, for seeking the waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group for the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The toughening of stance came from the top, as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while addressing chief ministers on internal security, squarely blamed ?official agencies? in Pakistan for supporting the terrorist operation in Mumbai.

Islamabad, by now under pressure from the international community, finally gave in to the reality of evidence and admitted that Kasab was indeed a Pak national. ?I think it probably would be true now that for example (Kasab) had Pakistani connections,? national security adviser Mehmood Ali Durrani said, a few hours before Pakistan officially accepted that Kasab is a Pak national. A statement issued by the prime minister?s office said Yousuf Raza Gilani had sacked Durrani ?for his irresponsible behaviour…?

Ironically, the official line on Kasab was announced by Pakistan?s information minister Sherry Rehman who issued a one-line statement the same evening saying investigations had established the Pakistani identity of the terrorist being held in the custody of the Mumbai police. Pakistan?s government also distanced itself from ISI chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha?s comment that he wanted to travel to India to help the Mumbai probe.

New Delhi viewed the admission of Kasab?s Pakistan connection with ?caution?, since the entire episode of the NSA?s sacking and the ISI chief?s comment being rebutted was a reminder of the deep-seated fissures in the Pakistan establishment and the fragmentation of power within Islamabad.

As New Delhi was wrapping up the week, the dossier diplomacy seemed to have paid off. Washington decided to put off the crucial donors? conference by the newly-created group called ?Friends of Pakistan?. It has now been deferred till the new Obama administration takes charge.