NEW DELHI, 11 March 2003 — India yesterday said it would continue to follow the “middle path” on Iraq while refusing to make any commitment on whether it would allow US forces to use Indian facilities should war break out.
“India has cordial and good relations with both the US and Iraq. Therefore, the stand taken by India is the middle path,” Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha told reporters after a meeting of all political parties chaired by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.
The meeting was called by Vajpayee to discuss the Iraq situation and establish a political consensus on New Delhi’s stand amid growing differences between the government and a volatile opposition on the issue.
“There was a consensus that military conflict should be avoided,” Sinha added. “There should be a peaceful solution and the United Nations should be protected.”
The foreign minister said it was agreed that the next step “should be taken through the UN Security Council”.
Asked if India would allow the US to use its facilities in the event of war, Sinha said no such request had been made so far.
“The prime minister responded to this and said a decision on giving facilities will arise only when that request arises and no such request is there before the government,” he said.
During the 1991 Gulf War, New Delhi allowed US warplanes to refuel within its territorial boundaries, a move that sparked a political row in the country.
Dissatisfied with the government’s stand, several opposition leaders who attended the meeting, stuck to their guns.
“We are totally dissatisfied with the government position,” said communist MP Somnath Chatterjee. “Nothing new has happened. There was no unanimity.”
Mulayam Singh Yadav, Samajwadi Party leader and former defense minister, said: “I have said there should be no war and in case it does break out, we should register our protest strongly.”
Briefing reporters, senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh said that Congress President Sonia Gandhi had told the meeting the party opposed war without international sanction.
“The UN Charter must be upheld as a sheet-anchor for peace, and no power, howsoever strong militarily, should take action against Iraq without UN sanction and no one should talk of regime change.”
According to one opposition leader, who attended the meeting but requested anonymity, the government also said “Iraq is not entirely blameless”.
Sinha said New Delhi would not like to enter the blame game. “We are not going into any blaming,” Sinha said.
Asked if India condemned the US threat of acting unilaterally, he responded: “The government is moving along the NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) path and the UN Security Council. At this point, the government does not want to pass judgment outside the Council. When we reach that point, we will give our view categorically.”
Sinha also said all contingency plans had been made to help Indians in the region in the event of war. He said there were less than 50 Indians in Iraq and they have been asked to leave the country as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Vajpayee and his senior ministers have been extensively briefed by the military on the possible consequences of a US attack on Iraq.
Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani and Defense Minister George Fernandes attended the briefing late Sunday at the “war room”, or the main center for controlling military operations, at the Defense Ministry.
Military sources said the nearly two-hour-long briefing was extensive and dealt with all possible consequences of a US attack as well as its likely impact on the Indian Subcontinent.
“All security issues, including the likely reaction of Pakistan and other neighboring countries, were factored into the briefing,” said a senior Indian Army official.
The military top brass, including the chiefs of the three services and officials from the integrated defense staff, outlined steps that could be taken by India to counter any consequences arising from a possible war in Iraq.
