Hollywood comes to India sporadically, in small, paparazzi-driven doses, usually to vacation, check out the exotica they hope to find on offer, scout a location, or just gorge on the curry.

Philanthropy has its occasional takers, but diplomacy hasn't seen a name quite as prominent as George Clooney [Images], up for the Best Actor Oscar this year for his work in Tony Gilroy's Michael Clayton.

Clooney gave the Screen Actors Guild Awards a miss, despite being a nominee (Daniel Day-Lewis took home the trophy for There Will Be Blood), and was to be found instead in New Delhi, where he played diplomat.

Clooney had dinner with additional secretary Vivek Katju, and received a briefing on India's peacekeeping operations from defence secretary Vijay Singh [Images].

This is part of the actor's new designation as the UN's Messenger Of Peace, and ties in well with his consistent attempts at raising awareness of the genocide in Darfur -- the region of Western Sudan where India has deployed the largest UN peacekeeping contingent.

Photograph: Getty Images