The United States says India need not be concerned about its increased assistance to Pakistan.

It has sought to allay apprehensions that Islamabad may use the aid to strengthen its military against India.

"As you know, the new focus in terms of our relationship with Pakistan is to dramatically increase economic assistance to Pakistan to help that country overcome some of its economic challenges and to extend the writ of the government to other parts of Pakistan," Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake said.

"And all of those things should be very much in India's interest as well," he said adding, "So I think, people of India should support and agree with what we are trying to do."

On concerns about the use of American aid by Pakistan to build up the military against India, Blake said Islamabad "is increasingly focussed on dealing with the extremist problems in its own country."

Terming militancy-hit Pakistan and Afghanistan as "a strategic priority" for the US, he said it intends to consult India "very closely" on meeting its goals in the region.

"As you say, Afghanistan and Pakistan is a strategic priority. But I do not want to imply that that would come at the expense of India. India would continue to be also a strategic priority for the US. And I think that will come out very clearly during Secretary (of State Hillary) Clinton's visit" to New Delhi this month, he said.