NEW DELHI, Sept 18: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promised his Marxist allies on Saturday to consider their views after the leftists protested the government's economic reforms including allowing more foreign investment.

Singh said he used the 90-minute luncheon meeting with Marxist leaders to discuss the "working of the coalition" and prevent misunderstandings.

"Of course, we are committed to take all our colleagues and all coalition partners into confidence and we will fulfil their expectations," Singh was quoted by the Press Trust of India.

The leftists, whose 61 MPs provide Manmohan Singh crucial support without participating in the government, have accused the administration of straying from a policy framework agreed upon after the upset election victory in May.

"Our differences are there in public and the government knows it," Marxist leader Sitaram Yechuri said.

"The prime minister will discuss these issues with us at the meeting of the United Progressive Alliance-Left coordination committee after his return from abroad," Yechuri said. Manmohan Singh leaves for Britain and the United States on Sunday.

The Marxists have protested a government proposal to raise the caps for foreign investment to 74 per cent from 49 per cent in telecommunications, to 49 per cent from 40 per cent in aviation and to 49 per cent from 26 per cent in insurance.-AFP