US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday evening on her maiden visit to India for talks on further expansion of cooperation in security, economy, technology and other areas.

Dr Rice will hold talks on the urgent need for reforms in the United Nations, including the Security Council, with Indian leaders.

Dr Rice will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and hold wide-ranging discussions with External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh on Wednesday covering the entire gamut of bilateral relations, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters.

Dr Rice, who flew in by a special US aircraft, was received at Delhi airport by S Jai Shanker, 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.