Hours into the US-led attacks against Iraq, US President George W Bush called Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to seek New Delhi's support for the American military operations.
A senior official in the Prime Minister's Office said Bush called Vajpayee at about 6.30 pm and spoke to him briefly on the military campaign against Iraq.
"President Bush briefed the prime minister about the latest situation in Iraq," the official said. "It was a brief conversation."
India has slammed the US-led military action against Iraq that began early on Thursday, saying it lacked justification and impaired the authority of the UN.
New Delhi has consistently opposed any unilateral military action against Iraq and said all steps to disarm Baghdad should be taken within the ambit of the UN.
The official in the Prime Minister's Office said Vajpayee had called a meeting of all political parties at Parliament House at 11 am on Saturday to brief leaders on the situation in Iraq and his conversation with Bush.
