Eurasia Press & News
As Washington completes a round of airstrikes on the Islamic State (IS) of Iraq and Syria, U.S President Barack Obama on Wednesday garnered more support for the coalition at the United Nations.
On Monday, PTI quoted U.S. officials as saying that Mr. Obama will ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join the 40 countries that have offered support.
Delhi may share intelligence in fight against IS
In the event of Washington seeking closer cooperation with India in its campaign against the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with President Barack Obama, New Delhi has three possible options.
At present, officials say the cooperation extends to exchanging notes on IS propaganda and is limited to information-sharing. “It is an area of cooperation as of now,” confirmed Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin, who called working with the U.S. on IS “a major issue of focus during the Obama-Modi meeting, we look forward to enhancing that cooperation.”
But the government’s advisers, like Chairman of the National Security Advisory Board Shyam Saran, feel it will be difficult for India to do more than extend moral support to the coalition.
“The U.S. hasn’t had a great track record in fighting the IS itself, and India will have to look closely at what kind of cooperation they require before committing,” he said at the Brookings Institute in Delhi last week.
