"The UN has revised the numbers downward in India by about half. There are some very successful programmes in India and Prime Minister Singh has significantly increased resources for the HIV/AIDS. The US government was a privileged partner with India in their fight," US Global AIDS Coordinator Mark Dybul said at White House press conference on World AIDS Day.

The US government has been running various programmes in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, he added.

"In Tamil Nadu, actually, we have seen a significant decline in HIV infection. But it is less than we thought because better evaluation was done," the US official said.

The White House has said that the administration will be putting additional money and resources to combat the deadly disease and President George W Bush will visit sub Saharan Africa in this regard.

"There is a need here in America, but there is also a need in other countries, including Africa, Latin American and Asia. One of the things, the President talks about is that it is in our national security interests to make sure that nations aren't completely destabilised by an infection that we know we can help prevent -- or at least we can help people be able to live healthy and productive lives," the White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said.

The President's trip to that part of Africa will have many reasons only one of which being focused on AIDS, she said.