Thursday, July 28 2005 17:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today (July 28, 2005) said any participation of Indian troops in multinational operations outside the UN framework would be guided by "national interests".

Asserting there was no move to deploy Indian troops in near future in any theatre, Mukherjee told Lok Sabha during Question hour that though the new Framework on Defence Cooperation signed with the US provided for collaboration in multinational operations, "It did not commit India to any specific action that is not in our national interest."

He said India was not falling in the trap of the US by signing the new Framework while asserting that it was absolutely in conformity with the Common Minimum Programme of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government.

"There is no deviation from the CMP. We are not falling in any trap... we are mature enough not to fall in trap... India's foreign policy is well-known and so is our stand on sending troops to Iraq," Mukherjee said.

No clause of the agreement can compel India to take a decision, which is not in nation's interest, he said.

To another question whether the framework would imply that Indian armed forces would participate in any military action initiated by the US against international terrorism, he said, "No such participation is contemplated or implied in the arrangement."

"Participation in any operation will be guided by the national interest and principles of our foreign policies including our independent stand on international issues," he said.