India on Tuesday said foreign nations should not interfere in Libya’s affairs as China also reiterated its opposition to the use of force to oust Moamer Kadhafi.

India, which abstained during a vote in the UN Security council approving military action against Kadhafi’s regime, had already called for an end to the airstrikes due to the risk of civilian casualties.

"What is happening within a country, within their internal affairs, no external forces should interfere with it," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said after Western warplanes pounded Kadhafi’s strongholds for a third night.

"Whether the regime will continue or not, it will depend on the people of that particular country, not any external forces," he told parliament.

Coalition forces, led by the US, France and Britain, are acting under the UN resolution that allows the deployment of all necessary means to stop Kadhafi’s forces harming civilians.

US President Barack Obama said Monday Washington’s ultimate goal was the departure of Kadhafi, but British Prime Minister David Cameron said there was no legal authority for regime change in Libya.

China, Russia, Germany, India and Brazil all abstained from the UN vote.

"We oppose the use of force that could result in more civilian casualties and a greater humanitarian crisis," Beijing’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Tuesday.

Sri Lanka, a staunch ally of Libya, on Tuesday called for a dialogue to end the violence and urged "all parties" to show restraint and spare civilians.

In India, the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supported the Congress-led government in a rare moment of political unity.

"We are completely with the democratic forces which are struggling against the dictatorship… but it is their internal matter," said senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha.

India has traditionally pursued a non-aligned foreign policy, although it has tilted towards the US since the end of the Cold War.

It has also been drilling oil blocks in Libya as part of its bid to secure energy assets to fuel its fast-expanding economy.