After months of arguing, the Indian government has decided to not send troops to support the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, joining the likes of France in refusing to contribute soldiers.

According to the BBC, "Massive media attention took the debate into the living rooms of India and opinion was divided." The Indian government was initially eager to have some say in Middle Eastern developments this year. However, during the debate, deep divisions arose within India's citizenry and within the government itself.

In the camp supporting Indian involvement in Iraq, Subhash Kapila of the South Asia Analysis Group argued that India should strengthen its role as an international power:

India has aspirations to be a regional and a key global player. This aspiration is not only of the government but also of a vast majority of the Indian people. If that is so, then India should also be ready to shoulder regional and global responsibilities in the maintenance of order and stability.

On the other side was the dogmatic anti-war drumbeat of people like Amitav Ghosh of the Hindu Newspaper:

The present situation in Iraq has its origins in action that was clearly in breach of international legal conventions. To send troops to Iraq now would be a step towards the retrospective normalisation of the situation. India has much more to lose than to gain from this. Our history has suffered in vain if it has failed to teach us this is not how the world works.

At the end of the debate, Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha provided the official (and politically correct) government decision:

Were there to be an explicit UN mandate for the purpose, the government could consider the deployment of our troops in Iraq.

But at least the Indian government was wise enough to leave the door open to future warmer relations with the U.S.:

Our longer term national interest, our concern for the people of Iraq, our long-standing ties with the Gulf region as a whole as well as our growing dialogue and strengthened ties with the US have been key elements in this consideration.

In the meanwhile, India is ready to contribute to the restoration of infrastructure, medical, health, educational, communication and other civilian needs of the Iraqi people.

The U.S. was polite in its response to the Indian decision, saying it would strive for strong ties between the two countries.

India has missed a grand opportunity in refusing to join countries like Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, and Poland in sending troops to Iraq.

As the "the world's largest democracy," with 846 million people and a parliamentary-style government, India counts. It seems only natural that the U.S. and India build stronger ties.

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