INDIAN PRIME MINISTER INDIRA GANDHIS BRIEFING <SANITIZED> ON THE INDO-PAKISTAN WAR

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03318833
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: April 8, 2020
• Case Number: F-2020-00497
• Publication Date: December 13, 1971

IN
THAT ACCEPTANCE OF THE UNITED NAT IONS CEASEFIRE
RESOLUTION AFTER THE LIBERATION OF BANGLADESH MIGHT MAKE IT
POSSIBLE TO AVOID FURTHER COMPLICATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES
AND MIGHT ALSO RULE OUT THE CURRENT POSSIBILITY OF CHINESE INTER-
VENTION IN LADAKH. DEFENCE MINISTER JAGJI VAN RAM AND CERTAIN
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
PRL.ORITY
4 1198
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Intelligence Information Cable
STATE/INR DIA NMCC/MC
DIRECTORATE FOR
PLANS
2 PAGE 1 OF 4 PAG S
(SECDEF JCS ARMY NAVY AIR) CIA/NMCC NIC NSA SDO ONE CRS
EXO DDI
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the mooning of the Espionage Laws, Title 18, U.S.C. Sec. 793 and 794, the
transmission or revelation of which in any manner to on unauthorized person it prohibited by law.
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
cour I
Excluded from autanstie
d."44.41ag eqd
dwieriti$cation
THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
CITE TDCS-314/13308-71
Div 13 DECEMBER 1971
COUNTRY : INDIA PAKISTAN USSR CHINA
;3ER 1971
SUBJECT � INDIAN PRIME MINISTER INDIRA GANDHI' S BRIEFING
ACQ
SOUR CE
�
�
�
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ON THE INDO-FA KIST AN WAR
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
le ON 10 DECEMBER 19 71 INDIAN PRIME MINISTER INDIRA GANDHI TOLD
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
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TDCS- 314/13308-71
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SECRET
(classification)
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
(dissem controls)
MILITARY LEADERS, HOWEVER, ARE OPPOSED TO ACCEPTING THE RESO-
LUTION BEFORE CERTAIN UNSPECIFIED AREAS IN SOUTHERN AZAD KASHMIR
ARE LIBERATED AND BEFORE THE WAR MECHANISM OF PAKISTAN IS
DESTROYED. MRS. GANDHI ADDED THAT FOR THE MOMENT INDIA WOULD
NOT CATEGORICALLY REJECT THE UN CEASEFIRE PROPOSAL; IT WILL
ACCEPT THE PROPOSAL AFTER THE AWAMI LEAGUE REGIME IS INSTALLED
IN DACCA.
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
2. THE SOVIET UNION IS OF THE VIEW THAT INDIAN SHOULD ACCEPT THE
CEASEFIRE AS SOON AS BANGLADESH IS LIBERATED. ACCORDING TO THE
PRIME MINISTER THE SOVIETS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF
CHINESE INTERVENTION. IF THE CHINESE WERE TO BECOME DIRECTLY
INVOLVED IN THE CONFLICT, MRS. GANDHI SAID, THE CHINESE KNOW THAT
THE SOVIET UNION WOULD ACT IN THE SINKIANG REGION. SOVIET AIR
SUPPORT MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE TO INDIA AT THAT TIME. MRS. GANDHI
NOTED THAT DESPITE PAKISTANI EFFORTS TO EMBROIL THE CHINESE IN THE
SUB-CONTINENT , PEKING HAS REFRAINED FROM TAKING PART IN THE CON-
FLICT TO DATE. P.N. DHAR, CHAIRMAN OF THE POLICY PLANNING COMMIS-
SION, IS CURRENTLY IN MOSCOW TO DISCUSS FUTURE STRATEGY WITH
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
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IN 491198
TDCS -314/13308-71
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NO FOREIGN DI SSEM
(classification) (dissem controls)
SOVIET LEADERS AND TO ASSURE THE SOVIET UNION THAT INDIA HAS NO
PLANS TO ANNEX ANY WEST PAKISTANI TERRITORY.
3. AFTER THE LIBERATION OF BANGLADESH, THE PRIME MINISTER SAID,
PAKISTAN MIGHT NOT ACCEPT THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION BUT MIGHT
DECIDE TO CONTINUE THE WAR IN THE WEST TO AVENGE THE LOSS OF
BANGLADESH. PAKISTANI STRATEGY MIGHT BE TO BREAK THROUGH THE
CHHAMB AREA, WITH CHINESE SUPPORT IN THE LADAKH REGION,
IN A BID TO CUT OFF THE KASHMIR VALLEY.
4. MRS. GANDHI SAID THAT IN THAT CASE THE SOVIET UNION WOULD
ATTEMPT TO CONVINCE THE UNITED STATES TO ACCEPT BANGLADESH AS A
"FAIT ACCOMPLI" IN THE HOPE THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL PREVAIL
UPON PAKISTAN TO ACCEPT A CEASEFIRE WITH AN INDEPENDENT BANGLADESH.
THE PRIME MINISTER ADDED THAT IT IS EVEN POSSIBLE THAT, IN SPITE OF
ITS ANTI-INDIA STANCE, CHINA MAY ADVISE PAKISTAN TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THE REALITY OF BANGLADESH.
5. THE PRIME MINISTER CONCLUDED HER BRIEFING BY SAYING THAT
INDIA WILL EMERGE FROM THE WAR AS THE DOMINANT POWER IN SOUTH
ASIA AND AV:H'7 THE INDIAN OCEAN. CHINA WILL RESPECT INDIA AND MAY
EVEN DECIDE TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH INDIA. ON THE OTHER HAND,
PAKISTAN WILL LOSE ITS ECONOMIC POWER WITHOUT WHICH IT WILL NOT BE
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
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IN 491198
TDCS �3114113308-71
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(classtication)
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
(dissem controls)
ABLE TO SUPPORT A LARGE MILITARY C TL72.. THE CURRENT PAKISTANI
MILITARY LEADERSHIP WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SURVIVE THE MILITARY DEFEAT.
MRS. GANDHI SAID SHE EXPECTS CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES TO LOSE
INTEREST IN PAKISTAN. SHE ALSO NOTED THAT SHE FORSEES GREATER PRESS-
URE FOR AUTONOMY IN PAKISTAN'S NORTHWEST FRONTIER, BALUCHISTAN AND
SIND. SHE EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT A NEW DEMOCRATIC PAKISTAN, BASED
ON AUTONOMOUS
HAVE
FRIENDLY
REPUBLICS, WILL EMERGE AND THAT IT WILL DESIRE TO
RELATIONS WITH INDIA.
6.
DISSEM: STATE DEFENSE CINCMEAFSA CINCPAC PACAF (b)(1)
(b)(3)
ARPAC.
PACFLT
(D)(1)
(b)(3)
GP-1
REPORT CLASS SECRET NO
FOREIGN DISSEM
ADVANCE COPY TRANSMITTED TO: WHITE HOUSE
STATE DIA ARMY NAVY AIR JCS NIC NSA OCT
SECRET
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