New Delhi: India has pledged $ 30 million for humanitarian assistance and rehabilitation efforts in war- ravaged Iraq and is "watching with concern" the recent wave of violence there, External Affairs Ministry spokesman said on October 28.

This pledge was given by New Delhi at Madrid donors' conference on Iraq earlier in October. New Delhi was represented at the conference by Minister of State for External Affairs Vinod Khanna and senior officials.

Asserting that India was committed to giving as much humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance as possible to Iraq, the spokesman said the $ 30 million announced was New Delhi's pledge till 2004.

Replying to a question on the recent series of bomb blasts in Iraq, he said, "India like the rest of the world is watching with concern the spate of violence there."

He said of the $ 30 million, a maternity and paediatric hospital to be built by India in Najaf with Jordanian assistance is expected to cost around $ 10 million.

Details about the assistance announced by India and several other countries for Iraq would be worked out at another donors' conference to identify priorities and specific projects, he said, adding that India was keen to provide assistance in human resource development, power generation and medical sectors among others fields.

PTI