NEW DELHI, March 2: India is to send a bomb disposal squad to the West Indies at the request of the Carribean nations hosting the cricket World Cup from next week, the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.

“At the request of the Caribbean Community for security assistance during the upcoming ICC-Cricket World Cup 2007, India has decided to send two bomb disposal squads of National Security Guard (NSG), comprising 16 members, to assist the organisers,” the statement said.

As in the past, a senior security liaison officer would also be attached with the Indian cricket team, it added. The statement did not say if the security preparedness was in response to a specific threat to the Indian team.