NEW DELHI, March 2 (Xinhuanet) -- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit India this month in her first visit tothis country after assuming her new charge, according to the Indo-Asian News Service.

    Rice, one of the closest counselors of US President George W. Bush and the first black woman to have been appointed as the topmost US diplomat, will be in New Delhi March 16. She is also expected to visit Pakistan and Afghanistan.

    Though details of her tour program are still unclear for the moment, senior officials said that her visit would be a great fillip to Indo-US relations.

    Her visit is expected to kick off preparations for a Bush visitto India later in the year, possibly in October, the Indo-Asian News Service said. Enditem