Four members of the moderate wing of the All Party Hurriyat Conference, an umbrella separatist group, and Advani went into the closed-door session.

The talks are the second to be held since January as part of a precedent-setting dialogue to halt the conflict in Kashmir, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives since erupting in 1989.

It was not immediately known how long the discussions would last.

Kashmiri leaders said the talks would focus on alleged human rights abuses by Indian troops and calls for the release of political prisoners.

"Last time they made some promises that weren't met so these issues will be forcefully taken up this time," Hurriyat spokesman Abdul Gani Bhatt told AFP ahead of the talks.

Advani pledged during the initial talks in January -- the first high-level dialogue since the revolt erupted -- to curb alleged rights violations and review the fate of political prisoners in Kashmir, Bhatt said.

But he said the promises remained unfulfilled.

Maulana Abbas Ansari, leader of the delegation, added he would also press New Delhi for permission to travel to neighbouring Pakistan for talks on the region's future, a demand India has consistently rejected.

Ansari still sounded a conciliatory note as he praised Advani for making time to see the delegation during hectic campaigning for next month's general elections. "Advani is busy with campaigning and yet gave us time and so we hope these talks will be good for all sides," Ansari said.

The Hurriyat had threatened to pull out of the talks, saying Advani had reneged on promises to end rights abuses, but later agreed to resume them.

The separatists want the Muslim-majority region, held in part by India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both, folded into Pakistan or to become independent.

Media reports said New Delhi has cleared the way for 10 political detainees to be released as a goodwill gesture and to keep the talks on track. The releases would come on top of 69 prisoners already freed since January.