RAWALPINDI: After its recent Defence Treaty with the Indian Government, the Soviet Union is understood to have agreed to supply India with more war material. The Indian Government is also learnt to have entered into deals during the past few months with several other countries, including Poland, Czechoslovakia, the UK, West Germany and Italy for supply of certain kinds of weapons.

What is … intriguing is that these countries have undertaken to supply India with this war material when over half a million personnel of the Indian armed forces are poised in war readiness all along the border of both Wings of Pakistan. On the other hand, these countries, especially the Soviet Union and the UK, have been advocating peace … and mounting pressure on Pakistan for a “political settlement”.

The material being supplied by the Soviet Union includes 250 tanks which are already on the high seas. It also includes 40 rockets of 120 MM, a large number of radio sets and certain other equipment. Negotiations are on for the supply of supersonic medium bombers, medium reconnaissance aircraft and MIG-23 fighters, it is learnt.

… On the other hand, according to informed sources, the Indian Armed Forces are placed in combat readiness and need only a political decision to strike.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2021