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India Denies U.S. Request For Troops in Iraq
Aired July 14, 2003 - 15:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: The Indian government today announced that it has denied a U.S. government request to send Indian troops to Iraq as part of the U.S.-led stabilization force.
CNN's New Delhi bureau chief, Satinder Bindra, has the details on the Indian government's decision.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN NEW DELHI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): With opinion polls showing 70 percent of Indians oppose sending troops to Iraq, the Indian administration says its forces are staying put and will stay that way until there's a specific U.N. mandate to send troops to the Middle East. But, to help Iraq and its people, India is willing to provide immediate humanitarian assistance.
YASHWANT SINHA, INDIAN EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER: As a concrete gesture of our support to the Iraqi people, we are already planning to set up, jointly with Jordan, a hospital in Najaf in Iraq.
BINDRA: In May, the United States asked New Delhi to send about 17,000 troops to Iraq as part of a stabilization force. But with more and more U.S. troops being killed in Iraq, political and public opinion here is taking aim at a government they believe should be concerned about possible Indian casualties. The government's critics also want India to be more critical of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
NATWAR SINGH, INDIAN OPPOSITION LEADER (through translator): We don't subscribe to preemptive strikes and the doctrine of regime change. And, moreover, you went to war for discovering weapons of mass destruction. You have not found them.
BINDRA: Despite such opposition, some in the Indian administration have been favoring troop deployment. They say sending soldiers to help the world's most powerful nation out of a tight spot could help India bag lucrative contracts. The policy-makers argue, troops in Iraq could also provide their country a strategic toehold in the oil-rich Middle East and mark India's presence as a growing military power.
COMMODORE UDAY BHASKAR, DEFENSE ANALYST: If you have the ability to contribute in a meaningful way to the restoration of both stability and the rhythms of normalcy in Iraq, this is the time to get your feet wet.
BINDRA: Rather than getting its feet wet, it would appear the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has developed cold feet.
(on camera): Facing provincial and national elections soon, the Indian prime minister thinks it's more prudent to risk Washington's displeasure, rather than the anger of his electorate.
Satinder Bindra, CNN, Delhi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 14, 2003 - 15:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: The Indian government today announced that it has denied a U.S. government request to send Indian troops to Iraq as part of the U.S.-led stabilization force.
CNN's New Delhi bureau chief, Satinder Bindra, has the details on the Indian government's decision.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN NEW DELHI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): With opinion polls showing 70 percent of Indians oppose sending troops to Iraq, the Indian administration says its forces are staying put and will stay that way until there's a specific U.N. mandate to send troops to the Middle East. But, to help Iraq and its people, India is willing to provide immediate humanitarian assistance.
YASHWANT SINHA, INDIAN EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER: As a concrete gesture of our support to the Iraqi people, we are already planning to set up, jointly with Jordan, a hospital in Najaf in Iraq.
BINDRA: In May, the United States asked New Delhi to send about 17,000 troops to Iraq as part of a stabilization force. But with more and more U.S. troops being killed in Iraq, political and public opinion here is taking aim at a government they believe should be concerned about possible Indian casualties. The government's critics also want India to be more critical of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
NATWAR SINGH, INDIAN OPPOSITION LEADER (through translator): We don't subscribe to preemptive strikes and the doctrine of regime change. And, moreover, you went to war for discovering weapons of mass destruction. You have not found them.
BINDRA: Despite such opposition, some in the Indian administration have been favoring troop deployment. They say sending soldiers to help the world's most powerful nation out of a tight spot could help India bag lucrative contracts. The policy-makers argue, troops in Iraq could also provide their country a strategic toehold in the oil-rich Middle East and mark India's presence as a growing military power.
COMMODORE UDAY BHASKAR, DEFENSE ANALYST: If you have the ability to contribute in a meaningful way to the restoration of both stability and the rhythms of normalcy in Iraq, this is the time to get your feet wet.
BINDRA: Rather than getting its feet wet, it would appear the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has developed cold feet.
(on camera): Facing provincial and national elections soon, the Indian prime minister thinks it's more prudent to risk Washington's displeasure, rather than the anger of his electorate.
Satinder Bindra, CNN, Delhi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
