Ivanov, who had a breakfast meeting with Fernandes at naval headquarters, expressed "grave concern about the ramifications" of India sending soldiers to keep the peace in Iraq outside of the United Nations umbrella.

Even as Ivanov and Fernandes were talking, a visiting Pentagon team tried to allay New Delhi's misgivings on the prickly subject.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko had earlier said that Russia and India shared a common concern over "a dangerous trend toward one-sided actions in international relations."

Yakovenko said the two countries "advocated the construction of a multipolar democratic world and the formation of a new international security system with the United Nations in the central role."

However, in the absence of a UN umbrella India is likely to try to keep its traditional Cold War ally happy by pressing for the creation of a peacekeeping force under international control -- such as the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

This may allow the Indian government to tide over stiff political resistance at home.

The government is also faced with the predicament of having issued a call from parliament asking for the "immediate withdrawal" of troops from Iraq.

India's defence ministry spokesman B.S Menon declined to comment on troop deployment in Iraq.

"All I can say at this point of time is that the Russian foreign minister held very fruitful delegation-level talks with the Indian side," said Menon.

"The talks were directed at building mutual co-operation," he added.

Russia is hoping to sell the 44,500-tonne aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov to the Indian navy as part of a package under which Moscow will also lease Turpov-22M3 long-range strategic bombers and Akula class nuclear-powered submarines to New Delhi.

More than 70 percent of the Indian army, air force and navy equipment is of Russian origin.

Ivanov was due to meet Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, President A.P.J Abdul Kalam and Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha later Monday.

Ivanov, who arrived in Islamabad on Sunday before heading for New Delhi in the evening, held formal talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and expressed support for efforts to ensure peace between the South Asian neighbours.

Russia, a traditional ally of India, has taken steps to help defuse tension between New Delhi and Islamabad, although it has refused to play the role of direct mediator.

Ivanov's visit to India will also focus on defence cooperation and sales of military equipment, military sources have said.

Bilateral trade between the two countries has fallen drastically to around 1.4 billion dollars from more than four billion dollars before the break-up of the Soviet Union.

WAR.WIRE