The United States on Monday reacted cautiously to India's decision to not send troops to Iraq.

No troops for Iraq: Will it affect ties with US?

"As we have said before, this was a decision for the Government of India to make. Our position has been clear on this," a US embassy spokesperson said in New Delhi.

"While we had hoped India would take a different decision, the transformation of US-India relations will continue as before. India remains an important strategic partner for the US," the spokesperson said.

Outgoing US Ambassador Robert Blackwill, who had worked hard to convince his Indian interlocutors in the past weeks, had publicly stuck to the line that the decision to send troops had to be taken by the Indian government and that one way or the other it would not hurt bilateral ties.

Press Trust of India