Hillary Clinton in Mumbai on 5-day visit to India

US secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived here tonight on a five-day visit to India during which the two countries will launch a new chapter in their strategic partnership and deepen their engagement.

The former US first lady, on her first visit to India as America's chief diplomat, will be spending the night in the tower wing of the Taj Mahal Hotel in an act of solidarity with the victims of the Mumbai terror attack of November 26 last.

Clinton flew in shortly after 10pm from Prague, The Czech Republic, where her special aircraft had a refuelling halt after the flight from Washington, DC. It is her first foreign trip since she broke an elbow.

A thick blanket of security was thrown around the Colaba area of South Mumbai where the Taj hotel is located. Hundreds of security personnel were deployed to provide cover for the visiting US dignitary.

Clinton will be meeting top Indian business leaders, visiting a centre of the Self-Employed Women's Association (Sewa), and paying tribute to the martyrs of the 26/11 attacks during her stay in the city.

She is expected to leave for New Delhi on Sunday. In the capital, she will meet prime minister Manmohan Singh and hold talks with external affairs minister SM Krishna. She will also meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and leader of the opposition LK Advani.

Among other engagements, she is due to deliver a lecture at the Delhi University.

Clinton's aircraft landed at Mumbai at 10:20pm, a senior official said. She was received by the Maharashtra government's chief of protocol, S Mulick, and his deputy, S Bijoor.

Ahead of her visit, Clinton said president Barack Obama's administration is "going to do everything we can to broaden and deepen our engagement" with the UPA government.

Clinton had also said, "We are starting a strategic dialogue between myself and the new minister of external affairs."

Bilateral cooperation in the civilian nuclear field, defence, and trade and investment are expected to figure prominently in the talks Clinton will have with Indian leaders. The two sides will also focus on terrorism, particularly that emanating from Pakistan, climate change, and the global economic crisis.

In the civilian nuclear field, the two sides will discuss ways to implement the landmark Indo-US agreement. The two sides are in negotiations to set up two nuclear plants in India.

Krishna and Clinton are also expected to discuss the end user verification agreement in the defence field, under which the US will be able to supply sensitive military equipment to India.

The two sides are also expected to discuss ways to step up military cooperation, including joint exercises, as well as the global economic crisis and cooperative ways to deal with the problem.

Clinton's visit to Mumbai comes nine years after her husband, former president Bill, and their daughter, Chelsea, visited the metropolis.

From New Delhi, Clinton heads to Thailand to lead the US delegation at the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) summit.