India and Iraq have enduring political, economic and cultural ties. Both countries have a strong civilisational base and the relations between the peoples of Iraq and India are historical and close. India believes that the priority now should be to ensure an early return to conditions of security and normalcy for all the people of Iraq and is committed to assist in the reconstruction of the country.
The Government of India welcomed the elections held in Iraq on 30 January 2005 and expressed the hope that these events would set in motion a process that would lead the Iraqi people to taking full control of their destiny. It also welcomed the formation of the new Government in Iraq. The Prime Minister in his congratulatory message to the new Iraqi PM, Dr. Ibrahim al- Jaafari, reiterated Indian commitment to assist Iraq in their political and economic reconstruction. Shri C. R. Gharekhan Special Envoy for West Asia visited Iraq from 22-25 May 2005 and called on the Prime minister and met senior Ministers of the Government of Iraq and reiterated this message.
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India has committed US $20 million as assistance to the Iraqi people in response to…
India has committed US $20 million as assistance to the Iraqi people in response to UN Secretary General’s flash appeal of April 2003. At the Madrid Donors’ Conference, India committed an additional amount of US$10 million to the two Iraqi Trust Funds to be administered under the aegis of UN and the World Bank. India is providing assistance to Iraq through provision of certain commodities and through human resource development assistance. Every year 125 slots to Iraq under ITEC programme and 50 scholarships for higher education under CEP/GSS are provided. Currently, professional training is offered in different institutions in India in diverse fields. It is expected that trade and commercial relations between the two countries would pick up as situation normalizes in Iraq. Exchanges are ongoing and are expanding.