NEW DELHI, Nov 28: India has offered Nepal “whatever assistance is required” in its fight against Maoists, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

The offer was made in a telephone call made by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to Nepal’s King Gyanendra, foreign ministry spokeswoman Nirupama Rao said.

Nepal’s Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khada earlier said that his government had asked India to supply helicopters and arms to control Maoists who have left around 350 people dead since Friday.

“We want support from wherever it comes, including from India, America,” he said in an interview.

Nepal had asked India for helicopters with night-vision devices and other military equipment, he said. “We hope for a positive response.”

About the nature of assistance to Kathmandu, Nirupama Rao said: “The prime minister said in his conversation with the Nepalese king that India was ready to extend whatever assistance was required in this hour of need.

“We have extended our support to the government of Nepal for the steps it has taken to maintain peace and security in the country,” she added.

Rao would not say whether India could send troops to help the Nepal Royal Army battle the leftist guerrillas.

However, New Delhi said it would “take every step” to seal the Indo-Nepal border so that the Maoists cannot flee to India.

“Both of them agreed that enhanced vigil should be maintained along the border. The prime minister said that India’s Border Security Force would extend full cooperation to its Nepalese counterparts,” said Rao.

“India will seal its borders and not allow its soil to be used to launch attacks on security forces in the neighbouring country,” she added.

“The government of India strongly condemns the widespread violent attacks by Maoists in Nepal,” said Rao, adding India supported the Nepalese government decision on Monday to impose a state of emergency.

Press Trust of India said New Delhi would supply Nepal with military equipment including automatic rifles, ammunition and light mountain guns.

The agency, citing defence sources, said the Nepal’s army chief Prajwalla S.J.B. Rana received the assurance earlier this week on a visit to New Delhi where he met with his Indian counterpart S. Padmanabhan either on Sunday or early on Monday.

Indian newspapers said on Wednesday that Rana’s visit was meant to be a closely guarded secret and described only as a courtesy.

66 Maoists killed: At least 66 Maoist rebels have been killed in clashes with security forces in Nepal in the past 24 hours, the home minister said on Wednesday.

“In the latest encounter on Wednesday with the security personnel at Bargaddhi locality in Dang district, 390 kms southwest of Kathmandu, at least 11 Maoists were killed and some others were injured,” Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka said.

He said 50 rebels were killed on Tuesday in an encounter with security personnel in the Maoist stronghold of Rolpa, while five more were killed in the Salyan district, also a guerrilla dominated area.—Reuters\AFP