During the 1991 Persian Gulf War , India remained neutral but permitted refuelling for US aircraft . It opposed UN sanctions on Iraq , but the period of war and Iraq 's isolation further diminished India 's commercial and diplomatic ties . From 1999 onwards , Iraq and India began to work towards a stronger relationship . Iraq had supported India 's right to conduct nuclear tests following its tests of five nuclear weapons on 11 and 13 May 1998 . In 2000 , the then-Vice-President of Iraq Taha Yassin Ramadan visited India , and on 6 August 2002 President Saddam Hussein conveyed Iraq 's " unwavering support " to India over the Kashmir conflict with Pakistan . India and Iraq established joint ministerial committees and trade delegations to promote extensive bilateral co-operation . Although initially disrupted during the 2003 invasion of Iraq , diplomatic and commercial ties between India and the new democratic government of Iraq have since been normalised
tests of five nuclear weapons
Pokhran-II
Foreign relations of India