US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday night for talks with the Indian leadership.

It is his first major foreign trip after President George W Bush's re-election.

On top of Rumsfeld's agenda is defence and security cooperation between the two countries.

New Delhi has made it clear that supply of arms to Pakistan when the Indo-Pak dialogue is at a sensitive stage will have a negative impact.

Rumsfeld's schedule on Thursday includes meetings with Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh.

He may also call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.