New Delhi: Former US President George W Bush today favoured a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seat for India, saying it has "arrived" as a strong democratic country in the world.

Former US president George W Bush. AFP

He also wanted India and the US to work together to win the war on terror in Afghanistan to bring peace and stability in the region. "We must see the possibility of a seat for India in the United Nations Security Council," Bush said, speaking at the HT Leadership Summit here.

"India has arrived as a strong democratic country in the world. It is a tolerant, peaceful and multi-religious democracy," he said. Bush, who visited India in 2006 when the two sides chartered out the road map for further strengthening Indo-US strategic partnership, said the two countries shared the same values of freedom and democracy.

On Afghanistan, he said, "America and India must work together to win the war in Afghanistan.

India, US need to work together on Afghanistan

In this photograph taken October 28, 2009, Afghan police secure the burned out and bullet riddled building of The Bekhtar Guesthouse in Kabul, where five UN staffers were killed and nine wounded during a October 28, 2009 suicide attack by three Taliban fighters. AFP

India and the US, the world's largest democracies, eed to work together to win the battle against extremists in Afghanistan, former US president George W. Bush said here Saturday.

Addressing the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit here, Bush also paid handsome tributes to Indian democracy and Prime Minister Mamohan Singh, calling him a "really good man".

"The US and India should work together to win the war in Afghanistan," Bush said in a brief speech made before a select audience. "If the Taliban, Al Qaeda and extremists are allowed to take over Afghanistan, they would have a safe haven again," he warned.