Freedom of religion as important as freedom of people: Haley

Freedom of religion is as important as freedom of peoples, the US envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley said today on the first day of her India visit.

Haley, the 46-year-old Indian-American, said she is looking forward to an inter-faith tour scheduled in her itinerary for tomorrow. She is expected to visit a temple, a mosque and a church here.

She also said there were opportunities in the Indo-US relationship at multiple levels, including on counter-terrorism, and her visit was aimed at solidifying the partnership between the two oldest democracies in the world.

Accompanied by the US ambassador to India Kenneth Juster, Haley began her India tour with a visit to the majestic tomb of Mughal emperor Humayun this morning.

"We think freedom of religion is just as important as freedom of rights and freedom of peoples," she told reporters.

Describing her visit as a home-coming, Haley said, "It makes my heart happy to be back in India. It is as beautiful as I remember it to be. It's always good to be back home."