Manmohan Singh begins US visit

---

Manmohan Singh

Indian PM Manmohan Singh has begun a visit to the US for talks expected to be dominated by Afghanistan, climate change and nuclear energy cooperation, reports BBC.
Mr Singh has said that a victory for the Taliban in Afghanistan would be a catastrophe for South and Central Asia.
He said he was concerned about the spread of Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorism to Pakistan's heartlands.
India hopes the summit talks will see the finalisation of the civilian nuclear deal with the US.
During his visit - the first official state visit of the Obama administration - Mr Singh will hold meetings with business leaders and foreign policy scholars. He will meet US President Barack Obama Tuesday.
"It is very important that both the US and the global community stay engaged in Afghanistan," Mr Singh told The Washington Post newspaper and Newsweek magazine ahead of his arrival Sunday.
Mr Singh urged the Obama administration to pressure Pakistan to crack down on Islamic militants in the country.
"We have been the victims of Pakistan-aided, abetted and inspired terrorism for nearly 25 years. We would like the United States to use all its influence with Pakistan to desist from that path," Mr Singh said in the interview.
"Pakistan has nothing to fear from India. It's a tragedy that Pakistan has come to the point of using terror as an instrument of state policy," he said.
Mr Singh expressed doubts over whether Pakistan and the US had similar objectives in Afghanistan.