Washington: India and Bangladesh may want to contribute troops to Iraq after the war-hit country regains sovereignty, the United States has said.

"We have, I think, regular and ongoing contacts not only obviously, with the members of the coalition currently in Iraq, but possible new countries that might want to contribute. These include India and Bangladesh," State Department Deputy Spokesman J Adam Ereli said yesterday (Apr 9, 2004).

He was replying to a question on Secretary of State Colin Powell's reported statement that a dozen countries, including India and Bangladesh, are keeping an open mind on sending troops in that time frame.

"The Secretary spoke to what the transfer of sovereignty might do in terms of providing an added incentive for countries to contribute. But I think it is premature. We are not in a position to (state) what countries might contribute and when," Ereli said.

Asked whether their assignment would be to protect the UN mission, he said, "Under discussion. Under discussion."

Even as violence has escalated in Iraq, the United States has been insisting that the war-ravaged country's sovereignty will be handed over to an interim Iraqi Government on June 30.