WASHINGTON: The United States may consider flying drones out of India if it is forced to leave Afghanistan, says US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel.

Mr Hagel hinted at this possibility at a Pentagon news briefing when asked: “If you don't have an option of a drone base in Afghanistan, if you don't have troops allowed to stay, you don't have a bilateral security agreement, would you consider basing drones in India?”

“Well, we have to consider everything, as we are,” said the US defence chief. “You're constantly updating and changing and looking at possibilities (and) strategic interests.”

This updating includes deciding “where you posture those assets, where the threats are most significant, where you have allies that are willing to work with you, capacity-building of allies,” Mr Hagel added. “You're in a constant review process on all those things.”

He explained that if the United States had to confront the situation described by the journalist, it will consider all available options.

“And so if that would be the case, -- we would have to be -- and we are looking at different options for everything. You have to do that. That's not anything unique to Afghanistan,” he said.

The Washington Post, while commenting on Mr Hagel's response, noted that it was “sure to upset Pakistani officials” as “Pakistan and India are archenemies.”

During a visit to Washington late last month, Pakistan's adviser for national security and foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, complained that the United States often favoured India. “While a lot of pressure is exerted on Pakistan on issues of concern to India, our legitimate concerns are not conveyed to India with the same intensity,” he said.

Asked if the Obama administration was considering halting drone strikes on Pakistan, Mr Hagel said: “We are constantly assessing threats to the United States and our interests all over the world with partners, and we have threats coming from different parts of the world, and we address those threats.”

He said: “You're constantly assessing your assets and what's required. And we are planning, as I said, for a post-2014 role in Afghanistan.”

Mr Hagel, however, made it clear that the United States continues to operate under the assumption that Kabul will sign an agreement to allow the deployment of a small residual force in Afghanistan after 2014.

But he explained that in today's uncertain world, all options have to be explored.

“We are dealing with the world we're dealing with,” he said, adding that President Barack Obama has been studying the endgame in Afghanistan closely and on Wednesday he consulted his senior military advisers as well. “It was an honest exchange between his commanders and himself about the future.”

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has so far refused to sign a security agreement with the US, arguing that it should be signed by the next president as he will have to deal with the repercussions.

Afghanistan is holding fresh elections next month when Mr Karzai completes his second and final term.