NEW DELHI, 12 June 2003 — In the clearest indication yet that New Delhi is favorably considering a US request that it deploy troops to Iraq, Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani yesterday hit out opponents of the move, saying they are uninformed.

“The opposition, without all the facts, gave their one-sided opinion that sending troops to Iraq is wrong,” Advani told the Hindi news channel Aaj Tak in an interview. “They are entitled to their views. But the government of India will take its decision based on national interest,” said Advani, who is on a visit to Washington.

India’s main opposition Congress party is vehemently opposed to the deployment of Indian troops in Iraq as part of a stabilization force as they will fall under US and British command, rather than under the flag of the United Nations.

Reports in New Delhi yesterday said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was to discuss the issue with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Sunday, a day before a team from the Pentagon is due in New Delhi to dispel Indian misgivings over contributing troops to the US-led effort to stabilize Iraq.

The reports also said Advani has made it clear to US leaders that New Delhi wants to see US pressure being brought on Pakistan to end what it terms “cross-border terrorism” before it will decide about Washington’s request for troops.

“While the US is pressing India to join policing in Iraq, New Delhi is demanding that Washington persuade (Pakistan) President Pervez Musharraf to take concrete steps to end cross-border infiltration and dismantle the terrorist network in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,” the Indian Express said, quoting government sources.

“Neither has said ‘no’ to the other, but India is clearly buying time,” it added. US President George Bush assured Advani during a meeting in Washington on Monday that he would persuade Musharraf to address India’s concerns when he holds talks with him on June 24, during the Pakistan president’s visit to Washington, the paper said.

“New Delhi would first see how it works and then take a decision on the deployment of Indian troops in Iraq,” the report said. Advani in his interview with Aaj Tak, said the US was keen to see that India’s latest offer to resolve disputes with Pakistan should “yield results”.

“The US is appreciative of the fact that despite problems India has once again offered to hold peace talks with Pakistan,” he said, referring to Vajpayee’s offer of a “hand of friendship” to Pakistan on April 18.

The offer of talks, the Indian government has made clear, however, is dependent on Pakistan halting the flow of rebels from its zone of disputed Kashmir into the Indian sector of the bitterly-divided state.

Since the offer was made, there has been an easing of the strained ties which had characterized relations between the nuclear-capable adversaries for the previous 17 months and which brought them twice to the brink of war last year.mVajpayee’s offer has been followed by both New Delhi and Islamabad taking steps to restore diplomatic ties and air links.

On Tuesday, Advani told reporters in Washington that the US government had not put any pressure on India to send troops to Iraq. But several US officials — including Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld — had made it clear Washington would like Indian troop support in Iraq.mAdvani has been in Washington since Sunday. He has met Bush, Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheney and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice as well as Attorney General John Ashcroft and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge.

He was later to fly to Los Angeles, then visit Chicago and New York en route for London where he is due Sunday to meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Asked what will be on his agenda when he meets Blair, Advani replied: “All issues of mutual interest between the UK and India will come up for discussion.”

Asked if this would involve British arms sales to Pakistan, Advani said: “These days, terrorism is an issue which is a concern to all democracies and therefore of concern to India as well as to Britain.”

A group of some 20 protesters picketed the front door of the Indian Embassy as Advani spoke inside the building. Activists from the Coalition to Support Democracy and Pluralism in India handed out leaflets alleging Advani’s religious policies have contributed to social unrest in India.