Tuesday, March 15 2005 19:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in New Delhi tonight (March 15, 2005) on her maiden visit to India for talks on further expansion of cooperation in security, economy, technology and other areas.

The issue of urgent need for reforms in the UN, including the Security Council, will also figure in the talks between Indian leaders and Rice.

On a day's visit, Rice will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and hold wide-ranging discussions with External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh tomorrow (March 16, 2005) covering the entire gamut of bilateral relations, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters in New Delhi.

Rice, who flew in by a special US aircraft, was received at Delhi airport by S Jai Shankar, joint secretary in the External Affairs Ministry.

She is the first Cabinet-level Minister in President George W Bush's second term to visit India.