India willing to join the fight against the Islamic State

India is willing to join the fight against the Islamic State terror group under the flag of the United Nations if such a resolution is adopted by the world body. “We have made it clear that if there is a UN resolution and if there is UN flag and a UN mission, then as per India’s policy to operate under UN flag, we will participate,” Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar  in response to questions after paying homage at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate on the eve of Vijay Diwas. Mr. Parrikar’s is the first comment by a senior minister of the Modi government detailing the stand of the government on the IS and India’s willingness to militarily join the fight against the terror group. India is an active participant of UN peace keeping operations, but has not actively engaged its military in any offensive abroad after the disastrous Indian Peace KeepingForce (IPKF) operations in Sri Lanka. There are only sporadic instances of offensive military engagements under the UN flag. India had been under pressure from the US to join the western coalition that has launched airstrikes against IS which is controlling large areas in Syria and Iraq and has established a Caliphate.