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India and USA fall out over Iraq
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| 31 July 2003 |
India's burgeoning diplomatic and military relations with the USA have suffered a setback after Delhi spurned Washington's request to dispatch an army division to Iraq as a peacekeeping force without a UN mandate.
A furious Bush administration expressed dismay at India depriving it of around 17,000 desperately needed troops. And although it publicly declared that growing bilateral ties would not be affected, senior US officials have made their displeasure known. Such behaviour, they warned, could have a detrimental effect on Indo-US relations in 'critical areas' like co-operation on hitherto taboo nuclear matters and the supply of hi-tech equipment for civilian and military applications.
Desperate for soldiers to bolster their peace-enforcing efforts in Iraq to fight the growing guerrilla movement and relieve the 3rd Infantry Division, the USA had made the commitment of Indian troops a 'test case' for Delhi's bid for big-power status.
But the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee rejected the US request following a lack of consensus within and outside the ruling coalition. Discussions with Pentagon officials had focused on deploying the Indian peacekeepers for at least three years in northern Iraq's Kurdish autonomous region bordering Turkey, which along with Iran and Syria warned Delhi against becoming involved. India informed Washington that it wanted independent control, making it clear that it would not report to either US or British commanders. By deploying in Iraq, India was also fearful of alienating Arab states on which it is dependent for oil and other energy requirements.
Vajpayee was also worried about casualties in Iraq that would have negative effects on his coalition in polls in four important states this year and national elections in 2004.
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