The United States on Tuesday committed another $1.6 million towards relief for the tsunami-affected people of India.

Earlier, it committed $1.5 million for the same purpose.

Denying that Washington had been stingy, US Ambassador to India David C Mulford said in New Delhi that the Bush administration responded immediately in the aftermath of the disaster and offered help in various forms.

India's inclusion in the four-nation core group on disaster relief reflects the significance the US attaches to New Delhi, he said, and noted that it has provided an occasion for the armed forces of the two countries to operationalise the programmes undertaken during joint exercises.

The group, which also includes the US, Japan [Images] and Australia, is a temporary body meant for overseeing relief operations only and will disperse as soon the task is over.

"The core group is an informal and operational body formed quickly to ensure that the resources reach the people who need it. It is not monetary but physical," Mulford said.

With regard to financial resources, the ambassador said he himself has contributed $100,000 to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.