US Under Secretary of State William Burns, currently on a visit to New Delhi, is carrying a private presidential letter for the Indian government, with whom the Obama administration is looking forward to work with, a top official said here today. Terming India as “absolutely critical” in the region, US Special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke said: “India is a country that we must keep in the closest consultations with.

” “At midnight last, I spoke to Undersecretary of State Bill Burns immediately after he had landed in New Delhi,” Holbrooke said in his maiden press conference after occupying the current position five months ago. “He is carrying a presidential letter to the Indian government.

He is carrying the message that I would have carried if I would had time to go to New Delhi on this trip, but I couldn’t do it,” said Holbrooke, who early this week returned from a trip to Pakistan. Holbrooke, however, declined to divulge the content of the message, saying: “It is a private letter”.

“But the important thing is that the number three person in the Department of State has gone to India to reaffirm immediately after the election,” he said. “We consider India an absolutely critical country in the region.

They’re not part of the problem but they are vitally effective and we want to work closely with them,” he said.