Obama backs India bid for 'rightful place in the world'

US president Barack Obama endorsed India's bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, hoping to elevate the nation of a billion people to "its rightful place in the world" alongside an assertive China.

Mr Obama's declaration, delivered to the pounding applause of India's MPs, spoke to a mission broader than the make-up of one global institution.

By spending three packed days in India, announcing trade deals, dismissing job-outsourcing gripes and admonishing India's rival Pakistan, Mr Obama went all in for an ally whose support he hopes to bank on for years.

"I want every Indian citizen to know: The US of America will not simply be cheering you on from the sidelines," Mr Obama told the MPs in the parliament chamber of the capital city. "We will be right there with you, shoulder to shoulder, because we believe in the promise of India."

To Mr Obama, that promise entails shaking up the world order by giving more voice to developing countries that offer lucrative markets for US products and potential help to counter terrorism and climate change.

India fits Mr Obama's agenda perfectly because it is the world's largest democracy and sits in the heart of a pivotal, troublesome region.

The diplomacy in India also gave Mr Obama a chance to reassert himself on the global stage, far from Washington in the aftermath of humbling congressional elections.

His final day in India began with a lavish welcome ceremony at the majestic palace residence of India's president and ended there as Mr Obama and his wife Michelle were toasted at a state dinner.

"The just and sustainable international order that America seeks includes a United Nations that is efficient, effective, credible and legitimate," Mr Obama said as he called for India to be part of a reformed council.

Yet White House aides acknowledge any changes to the council could be messy and years in the making. Attempts to expand the council have long failed because of rivalries between countries.

But India considered Mr Obama's move to be an enormous coup regardless.

India is part of the so-called Group of Four, with Germany, Japan and Brazil, that has been seeking permanent seats as major economic and political powers.

US backing for a permanent seat for India is important, but Indian officials must also win the support of the other veto-wielding council members, and the General Assembly has to agree on the reform plan.

The five permanent members of the security council are the UK, the US, China, France and Russia. The only other country the US has endorsed for permanent membership is Japan.

Pakistan criticised Mr Obama's statement, accusing India of "blatant violations" of UN resolutions and calling on the US to "take a moral view and not base itself on any temporary expediency or exigencies of power politics".

China has long objected to India's proposed ascension to the council

The dangerous tensions between neighbouring Pakistan and India helped frame Mr Obama's trip. Pakistan is vitally important to Mr Obama's bid to root out terrorists and win the war in Afghanistan.

But India is deeply suspicious of Pakistan and demanding a stronger crackdown on extremist elements within the country's borders.

In another key gesture, Mr Obama went further than he had earlier in addressing the terror threat inside Pakistan.

"We will continue to insist to Pakistan's leaders that terrorist safe havens within their borders are unacceptable, and that the terrorists behind the Mumbai attacks be brought to justice," the president said. He was referring to the 2008 attacks on the Indian financial hub that left 166 people dead at the hands of Pakistani-based extremists.

Much of any discussion about India is also seen through the prism of China, both by the White House and by nations in Asia that are wary of China's growing might. A higher standing by India is widely seen as a way to keep power in balance in Asia, although Mr Obama is also reaching out to China and will meet its president later this week.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Obama and India's prime minister Manmohan Singh stood in solidarity at a news conference in citing all the ways, from security to education, that their nations' relationship is growing.

On the economy, Mr Singh joined Mr Obama in dismissing criticism of outsourcing work to other countries, saying his nation "is not in the business of stealing jobs from America".

Questioned about Pakistan, Mr Obama answered carefully, encouraging India and Pakistan to move toward peace and saying the US would be "happy to play any role the parties think is appropriate" but could not "impose a solution".

Mr Singh said that while he believes a strong, moderate Pakistan is in the interest of India and the wider region, India cannot engage in talks as long as Pakistan's "terror machine is as active as ever before".

Mr Obama left early today for Indonesia, the country where he spent four years as a boy. From there, he heads to economic meetings in South Korea and Japan, returning to Washington on November 14.