US seeks bigger India role in Afghan war

INDIA: US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has urged Indian leaders to play a "more active role" in the war in Afghanistan, a senior US defense official says.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Panetta discussed ways India can bolster its military presence in Afghanistan, as well as a new US strategic tilt towards Asia and expansion of military ties, when he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon on Tuesday "Over the last 10 years, for a variety of reasons, India has not played a particularly active role in Afghanistan," the official pointed out.

"We welcome India playing a more active role in Afghanistan, a more active political and economic role," the official said, adding that the US hoped India would expand its training of Afghan security forces.

Panetta arrived Tuesday in New Delhi for two days of talks with Indian officials. His trip comes at a time when relations between Washington and Islamabad are fragile.

Pakistan-US relations experienced particularly serious strains in 2011 after a CIA contractor killed two Pakistanis and a US team infiltrated the Pakistani territory under the pretext of killing al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. PRESS TV