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Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe has assured India of full support when they host the Commonwealth Games next year and expressed regret at pulling out of the badminton world championships, local media reported.

Badminton England (BE) withdrew from the tournament in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad earlier this month, citing a "specific terrorist threat."

BE had said their decision followed media reports of a specific Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist threat, referring to the Pakistan-based militant group blamed for November's attack on Mumbai in which 166 people were killed.

Sutcliffe had called his Indian counterpart Manohar Singh Gill on Friday and assured him of England's support when Delhi hosts the Commonwealth Games next year, an Indian sports ministry official told Tuesday's Times of India.

"On Friday, he called Dr Gill to (express) regret after the English shuttlers went home Hyderabad in a hurry," the unnamed official said.

"Dr Gill told his counterpart that BE's decision to withdraw was uncalled for. In his response, the UK sports minister assured full support for next year's Commonwealth Games."

BE's chief Adrian Christy has also expressed regret at the pullout in a letter to India's badminton body, the Hindustan Times said in a separate report.

"I am aware our decision is likely to have increased scrutiny on the championships and placed additional pressure on the authorities. For that, I apologise," Christy wrote.

England's shuttlers were looking forward to visiting India in October 2010 for the Commonwealth Games, he added.

The withdrawal shone the spotlight on South Asia's ability to host global events safely, and security concerns have heightened across the region since the Sri Lanka cricket team bus was ambushed in Lahore, Pakistan, in March. India remains nervous after the Mumbai attack.

(Source: Reuters)