The decision, announced in parliament by sports minister M.S. Gill, confirmed widely held expectations that the visit would be canceled after the attacks which killed 164 people. Indian authorities say the attack was committed by militants originating from Pakistan.

India had been due to play three tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international between Jan. 8-Feb. 19.

'Government of India has advised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that the Indian team's cricket tour of Pakistan is not feasible in the prevailing circumstances,' BCCI's chief administrator, Ratnakar Shetty said in a statement Thursday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had floated the idea of hosting the series in the United Arab Emirates, but Shetty told the CNN-IBN news channel there was no talk of a neutral venue.

Mr Narainswamy Srinivasan, secretary of the BCCI, said the situation was grim.

'We are neither sad nor relieved,' Mr Srinivasan was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India. 'It was a reciprocal agreement under which they toured India and we were supposed to tour Pakistan, but the situation is now grim and we'll intimate our decision to the PCB.

'We had always maintained that we need permission from the central government and were told its not feasible to tour Pakistan,' Mr Srinivasan added.

The PCB moved quickly to invite Sri Lanka as a replacement opponent, and said it bore no ill will toward the BCCI for canceling.

PCB chief operating officer Salim Altaf said 'we are still on normal terms with BCCI because it was a decision neither in their nor in our hands.'

'They (BCCI) have also said that if the situation gets normal in the future it would send its team to Pakistan,' Mr Altaf said. 'Today we have sent an invitation to Sri Lanka to play three test matches, three limited-overs and a Twenty20 international against us in Pakistan.

'We hope they will agree to it and come after Jan 20 shortly after hosting Bangladesh.'

The Indian government forwarded its decision to the BCCI citing 'the recent developments in Mumbai as well as the circumstances prevailing at present.'

It will be the third major tour cancellation of Pakistan this year on security grounds. Australia pulled out of its scheduled visit, while the International Cricket Council also postponed the Champions Trophy one-day tournament.

The loss of an India tour will be a significant financial blow to the PCB, with a possible replacement by Sri Lanka not able to compensate for a series against its greatest rival.

Even before the Mumbai terror strikes, the tour was in doubt due to doubts about the security of Indian players.

The Indian government recently refused permission for its junior field hockey team to play a series in Pakistan because of security concerns.

The cancellation of India's planned tour of Pakistan could have implications for South Asia's joint hosting of the 2011 World Cup, to be played across India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

India and Pakistan jointly staged the 1987 World Cup. The two nations also included Sri Lanka as a joint host for the 1996 World Cup. But Shetty said this cancellation 'will not affect the 2011 World Cup.' -- AP