Obama allays India's concern over China: PM

Washington, Nov 25 : US President Barack Obama has allayed India's concerns that China has been asked to play a role in South Asia, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here Wednesday.

"Issues relating to China were discussed," Singh told reporters when asked about China's role in Pakistan and South Asia.

India was concerned about the Sino-US joint statement released in Beijing last week, which seemed to indicate that China had a role in the stability of South Asia. New Delhi took umbrage at this and asserted that there was no need for participation by another country in its bilateral dispute over Kashmir with Pakistan.

Singh told reporters that US President Barack Obama has assured him that no third party will intervene in South Asian affairs.

Manmohan Singh is on a four-day trip to Washington - the first state visit of the Obama administration. He arrived in Washington Nov 22 at the invitation of President Obama.