New Delhi: The US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard B Myers arrived in New Delhi on a two-day visit amidst reports that Washington might renew its request to India to send its troops to Iraq.

Myers visit comes at a time when a fresh UN resolution on Iraq was on the cards to give a broader mandate to enable more countries to participate in the stabilisation force.

Myers is the first top most US official to visit India, weeks after it turned down a proposal to send troops to Iraq.

During his visit he would hold intensive negotiations with national security advisor Brajesh Mishra and top Defence officials, including chairman of the Chief of Staffs Committee Admiral Madhvendra Singh.

Myers would also hold talks with the Army Chief Gen NC Vij and the new Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad who is also the co-chairman of the Indo-US Defence Policy Group (DPG).

Besides, military-to-military interaction, India is likely to ask the US for an institutional tie-up to enable it to interact with us central command besides the Hawai-based pacific command.

New Delhi's request for such a tie-up would be logical if India is to send troops to Iraq, which falls under the American central command and also oversees US interests in Gulf, Afghanistan, Iran And Pakistan.

PTI