New Delhi: Close on the heels of the rejection of the US request, the question of India sending troops to Iraq revived on July 17 with the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan speaking of plans to seek troops from member countries for deployment in the war-ravaged country.

US Ambassador to India Robert Blackwill, giving a farewell address at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), referred to the Indian position that it was ready to consider sending troops under a UN mandate and said, "We will have to see ...depends on what happens in Iraq and at the UN."

However, External Affairs Ministry spokesman declined to make any specific comment saying these are "developing circumstances".

He said the recent decision of the Cabinet Committee on Security spoke for itself that under an explicit UN mandate India could consider sending troops to Iraq.

PTI