By Manish Chand
Washington, Nov 24 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday said India and the US can do much more to expand security cooperation and warned the US and international community against any premature exit in Afghanistan that will embolden extremists and destabilise the region.

“The US and India enjoy excellent cooperation in sharing of intelligence. We can’t be satisfied with status quo,” Manmohan Singh told American businessmen when asked what can India and the US do to strengthen their security cooperation in South Asia.

“I will explore with the US in the next two days what more we can do,” Manmohan Singh said in response to a question after his address to the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-India Business Council (USIBC).

Expanding security cooperation and the volatile situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan will figure prominently in the discussions between Manmohan Singh and Obama Tuesday.

A pact to craft a new framework for strengthening counter-terror cooperation will be signed after the talks.

“We greatly welcome and support the international community in promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan,” the prime minister said.

Asking the international community to stay engaged in Afghanistan, he warned against plans of any premature exit that has often been speculated with public support in the US for war in Afghanistan declining gradually.

Premature talk of exit would only embolden terrorists and destabilise the region, he said amid speculation that Obama will announce a troops surge in Afghanistan as part of its new AfPak strategy.