NEW DELHI, April 30 (Xinhuanet) -- US Ambassador to India David C. Mulford said here on Friday that Washington was considering to renew a call for India to send troops to Iraq once a new government takes place in New Delhi in May.

    Addressing the American Chamber of Commerce, Mulford said the United States had yet to ask India to send troops to Iraq. But after June 30, "we would like to talk to India about it," he said.

    Indian media reported recently that Washington had made a fresh request asking India and Pakistan among others to contribute troops to protect the UN mission that is to be set up in Baghdad after the transfer of power to local Iraqis by the end of June.

    The US will advise India to provide peacekeeping troops to Baghdad after India's general election in May and an interim government takes shape in Baghdad in June under a broader UN mandate, the ambassador said.

    Washington asked India to send troops to the US-led coalition forces in Iraq last year but the request was declined by the Indian government.

    The US is hopeful that more countries will be willing to contribute forces under a broader UN mandate. Fierce fighting against the US-led coalition forces in Iraq and domestic reasons have prompted Spain, Honduras and the Dominican Republic to pull their troops out of Iraq recently. Enditem