Kerry to meet PM during India visit

The trip of US Senator, meant to assess the US war on terror, will also take him to Iraq and Afghanistan.

US Senator John Kerry has planned to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and the National Security Advisor MK Narayanan during his visit to India.

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The Senator is on a 12-day trip to Asia and the Middle East.

The trip, meant to assess the US war on terror, will also take him to Iraq and Afghanistan, an official release said on Wednesday.

The former Democratic presidential candidate will commence his trip on Wednesday from London, the first stop of a tour of several countries in Asia and the Middle East.

He planned to meet British intelligence officials and Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer on the first day of his trip.

Kerry is travelling to the Middle East "to focus on the steps that must be taken in Iraq and hear from local experts about the Iraq war and the progress of the Middle East peace process.

Kerry's itinerary also includes Pakistan, Jordan, Kuwait and Israel. In addition to military and security issues, he will focus on global health crises and American competitiveness in the global economy.

The US lawmaker will also travel to Afghanistan on January 16 and Iraq on January 18, where he will meet US troops, military commanders and diplomatic officials.