Delhi, July 20
India took up a more militant posture today and announced that, if Pakistan attempted to attribute Liberation Army successes In East Pakistan to Indian forces as an excuse to declare war, then India was prepared to meet the threat.

Commenting on a report that President Yahya Khan of Pakistan had promised to declare war if India seized part of East Bengal, Mr Swaran Singh, the Indian Foreign Minister, told Parliament today that freedom fighters had captured parts of Bengal. The Pakistanis were now attempting to confuse the world and place the blame on India.

“The freedom fighters have liberated many areas and have rattled Yahya Khan, so this is an obvious attempt to divert the world's attention. But I want to say clearly that, if the freedom fighters liberate certain areas in Bangla Desh and if Pakistan uses It as a pretext for attacking India, I must make it dear that we are ready to defend ourselves.”

Referring to President Yahya Khan’s declaration that he would try Shaikh Mujibur Rahman in camera. Mr Singh said that the trial would become a farce and highlight the sort of judicial system they had in Pakistan. “This would be a mad policy which would encourage the freedom fighters to intensify their action.”

While the Foreign Minister did not admit that the freedom fighters were operating from bases in India, he did disclose that “India is doing everything possible to lend support to the Liberation Army”. President Yahya Khan's offer to meet Mrs Gandhi, the Indian Prime Minister, “anywhere and at any time” was another ruse to divert the intention of the world from the atrocities in Bangla Desh, he said.

“This is not a problem between India and Pakistan. Any mediation should be between President Yahya Khan and Shaikh Mujibur Rahman, the elected representative of the people of Bangla Desh.”

Replying to bitter criticism of India’s foreign policy in the light of President Nixon's forthcoming visit to China. Mr Singh hinted that India might be prepared to form an opposition block of Asian nations and the Soviet Union, if the Sino-American detente was being conceived to impose the domination of the two superpowers.

Mr Singh said that India was “in touch with other countries in the region” and declared that, while India welcomed the Sino-American detente, “we cannot view it with equanimity if it means the domination of the two superpowers over the region or a tacit agreement between them to this effect”. He added: “We cannot rule out this possibility, as it would have repercussions on the situation in the subcontinent and this region.

“We have, therefore, for some time been considering ways and means of preventing such a situation from arising, and meeting it should it arise. In this way we are not alone and those other countries, both big and small, may be more perturbed than we are.”

“We are in touch with all countries and shall see that the Sino-American detente does not affect us or other countries in the region adversely.”

In reply to strong demands for a Sino-Indian rapprochement, Mr Singh hinted that India was prepared to hold out an olive branch towards Peking, provided that there was evidence that the Chinese would reciprocate.

“There has to be a mutual agreement to normalize relations, and if and when China is willing and ready to take concrete steps towards normalization we shall be equally willing and ready to do so. We welcome the change and style of Chinese diplomacy and hope that it will also lead to a change of substance.”

Dacca, July 20.—For the second consecutive night, large parts of Dacca were cut off from power and at least two explosions were heard.

Lights failed throughout the East Pakistan capital for an hour in the early evening. This followed attacks the previous night by Bengali dissidents on three power stations in the city.—AP.