New Delhi (PTI): The US on Friday expressed its willingness to provide technical assistance to India for establishing a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) like the one in America that is responsible for safety regulations for food and medicine.

"I had a discussion with the Health Minister (A Ramadoss) about the desire they have to create a Food and Drug Administration in India. We want to be supportive of those efforts and we are willing to provide technical assistance as their plan proceeds," Michael O Leavitt, US Secretary for Health and Human Services (HHS) said.

Leavitt, who visited a maternity centre run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi here and administered polio drops to children, said: "We have a mutual commitment to ensure that products that are produced for consumers are safe and of high quality."

The Secretary, who has met Ministers of Health, Commerce and Agriculture during his visit to India so far, said the US was committed to support India for eradication of polio, malaria and HIV.

"The US is committed to help India along with other organisations to eradicate polio forever. India is one of only four countries where polio continues to exist. It must be focused on until it is gone," he said.

On the partnership with India regarding HIV, Leavitt said: "We have a great deal of effort in our country on (treating) HIV/AIDS. We see a partnership with Indian government.

"Our Food and Drug Administration has recently begun to approve HIV drugs that are generic. Out of 57 we have approved, 52 have come from India. That is a very important partnership," he said.