India's Foreign Minister Yaswant Singh held White House talks Monday with President George W. Bush's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, as the two sides honed plans to cooperate in the fight against terrorism.
Singh, who also serves as India's Defense Minister, is here for talks with key foreign policy and defense officials, less than three weeks after terror attacks on New York and the Pentagon.
India vigorously condemned the assaults and offered to allow Washington to refuel its planes on or over its territory, as well as logistical help should Bush choose to strike suspected terrorist bases in Afghanistan.
No immediate details were available from either side on the scope of Singh's talks, which came less than a week after India's national security adviser Brajesh Mishra was in Washington for a similar round of consultations.
"Obviously India is a key player in the global coalition against terrorism and they were among the first to offer full support to us," a State Department official said on condition of anonymity.
Singh is due to meet Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell Tuesday -- WASHINGTON (AFP)
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