Mr Rajendran told me the idea of a company of female commandos came from the chief minister herself, who he said was keeping up the state's historical tradition of elevating women.

BBC: Indian women join elite police

Several MPs, along with a former head of Iraq's largest state oil company and Iyad Allawi, a potential future prime minister, have said recent oil deals should be reconsidered.

ECONOMIST: Iraq's oil

But the government has proved capable of responding to such crises, Vandewalle said: Authorities were able to disarm the militia that took over Tripoli's airport on June 4, forced attackers out of the prime minister's office and removed protesters who had blocked access to a state-owned oil company.

CNN: July 10, 2012 -- Updated 1136 GMT (1936 HKT)

Environment minister Siv Fridleifsdottir promised that the decision to go ahead would be made independently of the plans of the state-owned power company.

CNN: Iceland locked in national dam dispute