Mr. B.R. Bhagat, Minister of State for External Affairs, to-day [April 4, New Delhi] gave vent to India’s concern and displeasure over the routing, through certain countries, of an increasing supply to Pakistan of American-made arms and military hardware. Intervening in the debate on demands for grants for the Ministry of External Affairs in the Lok Sabha, Mr. Bhagat said these supplies were upsetting the military balance between India and Pakistan and neutralising whatever efforts India might make to develop closer and friendlier relations with that country. India, he said, would like to bring home to the U.S. that these supplies were coming in the way of good relations between India and Pakistan. Mr. Bhagat said that India had tried to convince the U.S. Government that it had beenshifting its stand from time to time so far as these supplies to Pakistan went. First, the U.S. said the supplies were restricted to certain non-lethal material — then, it was lethal spares — and now, it was Patton tanks and certain other hardware.” In his 20-minute intervention, Mr. Bhagat maintained that the basic foreign policies of the country were being implemented faithfully and well. India’s relations with its neighbours, barring China and Pakistan, were closer and more cordial than before. Even with Pakistan, the telecommunications agreement was an indication of some improvement in relations. Unfortunately, beyond this, Pakistan’s response to India’s efforts at promoting friendliness had not been as forthright as it should have been.
