US was wary of Chinese moves against India in ’71

Five months before the creation of Bangladesh, the possible Chinese threat to India was discussed in detail in New Delhi on July 7, 1971, by Defence Minister Jagjivan Ram, Defence Secretary K.B. Lall, US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and US Ambassador to India Kenneth Keating, according to documents de-classified by the US State Department.

Kissinger, who opened the conversation by diverting attention from the issue of US arms shipments to Pakistan, asked whether the Chinese could fight without reinforcing their troops and whether such reinforcements would give India advance warning of an attack.

Lall felt that India would know if the Chinese built up supplies as it could take two to three months. He also explained that New Delhi was not prepared in 1962, and that its ‘‘information was bad’’.

To Kissinger’s remark that Washington had made studies in Europe to try to determine what sort of build-up the Communist forces would need before an attack, Ram said India had made similar studies.

Asked by Kissinger whether it was the Indian conclusion that a surprise attack would be difficult, Ram said, ‘‘This is true, even from Tibet.’’

Lall said there was ‘‘a great deal of talk and natural apprehension about what the Chinese could do’’, and asked Kissinger whether he thought ‘‘the Chinese would do anything without provocation’’.

Observing that this seemed unlikely, Kissinger felt it was possible that the Chinese would intervene if there was a war with Pakistan. ‘‘What would be the justification for such an attack? India is not going to go to war with Pakistan,’’ the then Indian Defence Secretary said. Ambassador Keating replied, ‘‘The Chinese had said they would support Pakistan in a war.’’

To this, Kissinger said ‘‘The US would take a grave view of any Chinese move against India…. Chinese have been cautious in their military moves though they have been tough in their talk. The US effort is to promote peace.’’