Reports in all major Indian newspapers said New Delhi was unlikely to come out with a clear-cut "yes" or "no" after the meeting, preferring to couch its refusal instead in polite language -- seeking more time to decide.

An Indian refusal to send about 17,000 troops in response to a request by Washington conveyed here in May would likely displease the US administration, which has dispatched several envoys to allay Indian concerns, reports said.

But in the absence of a political consensus and provincial and national elections looming, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee seemed willing to risk American displeasure rather than lose politically by sending troops for the reconstruction of Iraq after a war that India had opposed.

That India would have had to foot the bill to send its soldiers to Iraq and Washington's inability to draw a roadmap for the future of Iraq would also weigh against India sending troops, reports said.

Though some of the prime minister's top aides seemed to support the US request last month, Vajpayee had to face stiff resistance from opposition groups and members of his BJP-led coalition government, who argued that Indian troops must work only under the United Nations flag, not a US-British command.

Reports said that Defence Minister George Fernandes' Samata Party on Sunday passed a resolution in which it strongly opposed sending soldiers to Iraq.

Another report said those opposed to sending troops to Iraq included Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani and National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra.

Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha was undecided while Finance Minister Jaswant Singh favoured deploying troops in Iraq, the report said.

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