Asserting that terrorism cannot defeat "India's great democracy", President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the Mumbai attacks amid his advocacy for full US support to New Delhi in combating the scourge.

Obama called up Singh in the morning in connection with the Mumbai terror strikes and "expressed his deepest condolences", the Prime Minister's Office said in New Delhi.

Singh apprised him about the developments in Mumbai, where the operation to flush out terrorists ended this morning after 60 hours of gun-fights.

Prior to his telephone call to the Prime Minister, Obama, who will occupy the White House in January, said that the terrorists who targeted innocent civilians could not defeat "India's great democracy" nor "shake the will of a global coalition to defeat them".

He said "the United States must stand with India and all nations and people who are committed to destroying terrorist networks, and defeating their hate-filled ideology."

Maintaining that there is only "one President at a time," Obama said, "We fully support the Bush Administration's efforts to protect American citizens and assist the government of India during this tragic time."

"I will continue to closely monitor the situation on the ground in Mumbai and am grateful for the cooperation of the Bush administration in keeping me and my staff updated," said Obama who is in touch with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as well as with Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen.

Obama said he has sent his "deepest condolences" to the loved ones of the American citizens who died in the outrageous terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

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