NEW DELHI, 17 September — India reiterated its support for the United States yesterday in its war on terrorism, but said it was up to Washington to define what help was needed. “We are yet to be asked for any specifics,” External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said.
“It is for the US and the concert of democracies to define exactly what kind of support would be needed and what kind of support can be provided,” he told CNN television. Later yesterday, New Delhi offered “fullest cooperation” to the US in its war against global terrorism, officials announced here.
External Affairs Ministry officials said the offer was extended when US President George Bush telehphoned Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee late yesterday. Bush thanked Vajpayee for his expressions of support and condolences after last week's terror strikes, the White House said.
Officials say India is ready to let the United States use its military bases for any retaliation after last week’s terror attacks on Washington and New York.
Delhi has also passed on intelligence information to Washington on Afghanistan’s ruling Taleban and extremist groups in an unprecedented level of cooperation between the two countries, which were on opposite sides during the Cold War.
The United States has named Osama Bin Laden, who is believed to be in Afghanistan, as the prime suspect in the attacks on the United States. India also provided video recordings showing training camps in the Pakistan-ruled part of Kashmir, pictures of students using photographs of former US President Bill Clinton for target practice and training manuals, the paper said.
But there was speculation in Indian media that Washington might be reluctant to get too involved in India for fear of becoming embroiled in the dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.
Pakistan has also offered to help the United States root out those responsible for the terror attacks. The Indian external affairs minister dismissed suggestions the crisis might ultimately bring the United States closer to Pakistan. “It is a very grim reality the world faces today. (This suggestion) would be trivializing the whole challenge,” he said. But he stressed that India stood for “the establishment of a concert of democracies against terrorism”.
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf seized power in a 1999 military cop. Pakistan, one of only three countries to recognize the Kabul government, denies Indian allegations that it provides military support to the Taleban as part of an Islamic axis meant also to destabilize Kashmir. India’s External Affairs Ministry spokeswoman said yesterday the government had also asked the United States to ensure the safety of Sikhs living in the United States.
There have been reports of some Sikhs being attacked in America, apparently because of their resemblance to Bin Laden who wears a turban and has a beard, as do Sikhs. Star News television reported that a Sikh man was shot dead on Saturday in Phoenix, Arizona.
