Obama wants to visit India early with his family: Dr. Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said Friday USA President Barack Obama had told him that he was keen to visit India early with his family, his wife Michelle Obama and tow daughters and build on the improving relationship with this country.

In his communication with women journalists Friday, Dr. Manmohan Singh spoke about his meeting with the US president on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in London last week.

'From my 45 minutes with Obama, my impression was that he was very clearly interested in India. He wants to improve relations with India and build on the strong ties between the two countries for the last several years,' he said.

The prime minister Dr. Singh said that Obama wished to come to India 'very early' with his wife, Michelle Obama. 'In fact, he said that he wants wants to bring his two daughters with him,' he said.

'Judging by my conversation I look forward to a very fruitful relation with him,' Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said.

Pak could get $2.8 billion military support from U.S.

Pakistan could get $2.8 billion in military help from the U.S. in addition to the proposed $7.5 billion civilian help package extend over five years, a defense officer has been quoted as saying.

The executive, speaking on condition of secrecy, told the FOX News channel that the extra money would be spent on 'equipping, training, and building infrastructure directly related to counter insurgency operations'.

Gen. David Petraeus, who heads the U.S. Central Command, separately told the channel that the money would be provided under the 'Pakistani Counter-insurgency Capability Fund'.

The money would be disbursed over five years, with $400 million in 2009, $700 million in 2010 and thereafter, $575 million a year between 2011 and 2013.

Quoting unnamed U.S. officials, the channel said that the money would be spent in a way that would not give Pakistan a greater capacity to attack another country, such as India.

Unveiling his Afghanistan Pakistan policy Friday, U.S. President Barrack Obama said he would ask Congress to authorize $1.5 billion non-military aid for Pakistan every year for five years to enable it build up its infrastructure and institutions.

At the same time, he warned there would be no 'blank cheque' and that Pakistan would have to live up to its commitment in the war against terror.