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U.S. bans India, Inc. from Iraq
By siliconindia staff writer
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Thursday, 11 December 2003, 20:30 IST
NEW DELHI: India, IncÂ’s hopes of cashing in on rebuilding war-ravaged Iraq have been dashed. Indian companies will not be able to bid for contracts in Iraq after the Pentagon issued a list of countries deemed eligible to bid for reconstruction work in post-war Iraq.
A report in The New York Times Website shows that India does not find mention in the Pentagon list of “coalition partners”, issued by US Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, which includes 61 countries apart from the United States and Iraq.
Twenty-six contracts worth $18.6 billion are up for bidding in war-ravaged Iraq.
A later Reuters report, however, quoted White House spokesman Scott McClellan as saying that companies from countries not directly involved in Iraq's post-war reconstruction could act as sub-contractors if selected by those eligible to seek contracts under the $18.6 billion fund.
The work involves major improvements and redevelopment in electricity, public works / water, security / justice, transportation / communications (including ports, roads and airports) and buildings / housing / health (including public and government buildings, schools and medical facilities), apart from equipping the new Iraqi army.