New Delhi, July 24: Government today categorically ruled out any move to allow United States to set up a permanent military base in India. Minister of State for External Affairs Vinod Khanna said in Rajya Sabha that recently there had been "speculative and misleading" commentaries on a report prepared by a private agency for the US Department for Defence.

"These do not represent the official position of the US government", Khanna said.

To a spate of questions on whether there was any renewed bid to send Indian troops to Iraq, the minister said were there be an explicit UN mandate, India would consider the deployment of troops in Iraq.

Khanna said India had posed five questions to US on why the Indian forces were being asked for, whether they would be tasked with maintenance of law and order or in the event of a revolt would they be required to use force, the duration of deployment, the road map in Iraq and under whose command would the troops function.

He said discussions were held with the US, UN and Iraq's neighbours on these issues. "Clarifications were obtained on some of the issues, while some grey areas remain", Khanna added.

The minister said in pursuance of UN emergency appeal for assistance in Iraq, New Delhi had gone ahead to adopt a major hospital in Najaf.
Bureau Report