Washington: With the looming war against Iraq straining current allies, the United States looks increasingly to India as it explores new allies, according to leading American experts.

While the US and India are far from being in lock step over Iraq, New Delhi has not acted in an obstructionist way "and has recently been moving closer to the US position on the issue of confronting Saddam Hussein", John E Carbaugh, who brings out "India Report" periodically, said.

The two nations are continuing to deepen their overall relationship, which some observers contend is developing into a strategic alliance, he said.

Thomas Donnelly, of the American Enterprise Institute said "the cheek-to-cheek relationship" between America and her principal Cold War partners has soured, "with perhaps a permanent break-up in the offing". Even if US-European affairs can be patched up, "perhaps the most alluring partner for the United States in the coming century is India".

Donnelly said the "current chatter" in the US over giving India a permanent place on the UN illustrates the "high regard for New Delhi in US foreign policy circles".

Richard Wilcox, former director of UN Affairs on President Bill Clinton's National Security Council, said, "While the debate over authorising war on Iraq puts UN centrestage, forces are converging off-stage to change UN Security Council for the better by giving India a permanent seat.

PTI