US exploring possibility of making India a non-Nato ally too

"I think we made it clear that we're willing to explore the same possibility of similar cooperation with India," Press Secretary Scott McClellan said at a White House Press briefing Monday when asked about Washington's recent decision to confer the status of non-Nato ally on Pakistan.

The US has said its decision to grant major non-Nato ally status to Pakistan was linked to Islamabad's cooperation in the war on terror.

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"This decision underscored the importance of Pakistan's role in the war against international terrorism, particularly in the continuing fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said on Monday.

However, he termed the partnerships with India and Pakistan "close and productive" and said US will continue to build strong bilateral relations with both the countries.

Each of these relationships stands on its own merits, he said adding Powell, during his visit to the countries last week, reviewed expanding bilateral ties with the neighbours.

Shortly after declaring Pakistan a major non-Nato ally last week, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said en route to Kuwait that Washington wanted to have a similar relationship with India too.

"Major non-Nato Ally status (with Pakistan) was something we have been working on for months and months and months...... Took this opportunity to make brief mention of it (in Islamabad).

"It is not a reward for A.Q. Khan; it is part of a continuing relationship and we have been doing things to demonstrate to the Pakistanis that we are good, solid, long-term partners. The same relationship we want to have with India."

Powell did not say whether in the case of India there would be a notification nor was he asked about it.

"It is part of a normal relationship with countries that we have military-to-military relationships with and we think it is sensible to do", said Powell.