US Defence Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld arrived in India on Sunday night as part of his whirlwind tour of five nations. He will meet his Indian counterpart George Fernandes in New Delhi today. Earlier in Islamabad, he praised Pakistan’s support in fight against terror but rejected Islamabad’s call to stop Afghan bombing during month of Ramazan. Talks with Rumsfeld is likely to touch on long-term military cooperation, Afghan situation, and the increasing hostile atmosphere between India and Pakistan, both part of Washington`s anti-terrorism coalition. Rumsfeld also is likely to hear Indian concerns about militants, based in Pakistan attacking security forces and civilians in Jammu and Kashmir.
Following visits to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan, Rumsfeld arrived in India after 11 p.m. and was whisked away from a military airport for a night`s rest. The US defence secretary arrived in India on the day Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee left for a three-nation visit of Russia, the United States and Britain. Vajpayee is scheduled to meet US President George W Bush in Washington on November 9.
Bureau Report