India lobbies for Iraq war spoils

NEW DELHI: With the Saddam Husseinregime consigned to the pages of history, hectic lobbying is underway here topartake of the huge re-construction pie that is being estimated at $180 billion.India hopes to garner as much as $10 billion for Indianbusiness.The game plan that is being drawn up here is a doublewhammy of government and business leaders visiting the USA as well as the UNoffices and Kuwait to present India''s expertise as well as experience in doingbusiness in the Gulf region. Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra isvisiting New York and Washington where he is expected to meet a wide spectrum ofthe leadership, with Iraq as top of the agenda. India''s Ambassadorto Kuwait S P Singh has met General Jay Garner in Kuwait, as well as BarbaraBoudine, the US diplomat and Arabist expected to run the interim civiliangovernment in Iraq. The Ministry of External Affair''s secretary incharge of West Asia R M Abhyankar has firmed up a visit to Amman, Damascus andAnkara apart from leading a joint delegation of government and industry to theUSA. Sources in the MEA say that Kuwaiti and American officials inKuwait had asked the Indian embassy in Kuwait a few days back for a list ofIndian companies which have experience of doing business in the Gulf region andwhich can execute large orders.The primary focus of the jointdelegation led by Abhyankar is to safeguard the interests of Indian companies inUN''s Oil for Food Programme as well as secure contracts. Among theother items on the agenda include the execution and fructification of over Rs3,000 crores of goods and material to be supplied before May 12 as per the UNresolution 1427 passed on March 28, 2003. In addition to the UNvisit, the delegation will also be visiting Washington to meet the USorganisations, designated for the reconstruction of Iraq to seek India''sparticipation. According to FICCI secretary general Amit Mitra, "Ourinterest is to get contracts on the level of execution which are our corestrengths apart from our experience of having already carried out such activityin the region". Citing a Ficci study, Mitra said, "Contract for sixidentified items in the UN resolution (food, health, water sanitation,education, agriculture and electricity) worth Rs 3,000 crore has already beenentered into and Indian businesses would like the same to be executed at theearliest". Representatives of 39 companies including Larsen &Toubro, NBCC, Rites, Gamon India, Essar and Bharat Earth Movers will also visitWashington to ensure participation in the Iraq reconstruction. Thecore strengths of India include telecom, rail and road construction andpower.