US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in New Delhi on Wednesday that greater intelligence sharing among India and Pakistan are needed, the NDTV reported.

Addressing a joint press conference with Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Rice said Pakistan has a central role to play to make certain terrorists not function.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speaks during a news conference in New Delhi December 3, 2008. Rice urged Pakistan on Wednesday to cooperate "fully and transparently" in investigations into the Mumbai attacks that have roiled India-Pakistan relations.[Xinhua/Reuters]

She asked Pakistan to cooperate "fully and urgently" with India to bring the perpetrators of the brazen Mumbai terror attack to justice and stressed a greater "intelligence sharing" between India and Pakistan, the report said.

"Pakistan needs to take direct and tough action against terrorists," Rice said.

Talking about the role of what Pakistan President Zardari termed non-state actors plotting terror attacks, Rice said, "there are non-state actors confined in a state".

"There has to be very direct and tough action against them. The investigation is still underway. It needs greater intelligence sharing among India and Pakistan," she said.

Addressing the media, Pranab Mukherjee said Rice has been informed about Pakistan's involvement in the attacks.

He said India is determined to act decisively to protect its territorial integrity and peace.

"India's action will depend on the response from Pakistan," he said.

Rice arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday amidst escalating tension between India and Pakistan following the attacks on Mumbai which killed some 170 people.

 (Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2008)