Rumsfeld is scheduled to arrive in the Indian capital late Wednesday and meet with Singh on Thursday morning.

Rumsfeld will discuss US-India relations with Singh, including arms sales, according to an official familiar with the visit.

Sales of new weapons that could upset the balance of power in the volatile South Asian region have rankled both countries with Pakistan concerned India could get Patriot missiles and India concerned about possible sales of fighter jets and naval surveillance aircraft to Pakistan, according to the Indian Express newspaper.

The Patriot, a ground-based missile system that can defend against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft, is seen linked to India's support of a proposed global missile shield, the newspaper said.

In response, Pakistan may have already asked to buy up to 25 F-16 fighter jets in 2005 when President Pervez Musharraf visited Washington last week and met President George W. Bush.

The two nuclear-armed countries, which have fought three wars in the past half-century, are in peace talks over the disputed Himalayan state of Kashmir while developing new medium- and long-range missile systems at the same time.

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