WASHINGTON, Jan 10: The former US ambassador to India, Robert Blackwill, wants New Delhi to hire him as a lobbyist in Washington, diplomatic sources told Dawn.

Mr Blackwill, who joined the White House after returning from India early last year, is considered as one of New Delhi's staunchest supporters in Washington.

In November, he also had to quit the White House following an incident at Kuwait airport when Mr. Blackwill allegedly shouted at a woman employee at the US embassy in Kuwait and twisted her arm.

Before this incident, he was considered a strong candidate for replacing National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice who has been designated the new secretary of state.

Quoting insiders at Barbour Griffith & Rogers International, a Washington lobbying firm that Mr. Blackwill joined after leaving the White House, the sources said the former US diplomat arrived in New Delhi this weekend to campaign for his firm.

In November, India confirmed that it is not renewing a $600,000 yearly contract with another Washington lobbying firm, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld. The contract had expired in April last year.

Reports in the Indian media suggested that New Delhi was upset with its lobbyists for their failure in preventing the Bush administration from offering a $1.2 billion US arms package to Pakistan.

Between April and November, Akin, Gump was working for the Indian embassy on a month-to-month basis since the mission wanted to wait and see which party would occupy the White House after the US elections on Nov. 2.

Intense lobbying for the Indian account began as soon as it became clear that President George W. Bush would have a second term at the White House. Soon after his departure from the Bush administration, Mr. Blackwill joined Barbour Griffith & Rogers International in a newly-created job of president.