Taking the world by surprise, India today discarded her policy of non-alignment and entered into a formal alliance with the Soviet Union.

The historic departure from the late Mr Nehru’s policy took place at 11 am when Mr Swaran Singh, the Foreign Minister, and Mr Andrei Gromyko, the Soviet Foreign Minister, signed a political pact entitled “The Treaty of Peace. Friendship and Cooperation between the USSR and the Republic of India.”

In substance the treaty provides for closer contacts between the two countries in economic, political, cultural and other fields but in reality it is a defence pact under which Russia and India are obliged to come to each other’s assistance in the event of a conflict with a third country.

The treaty is binding for 20 years and can be renewed for successive periods of five years.

Significantly, the treaty was ratified in an atmosphere charged with fears of an imminent Indo-Pakistan war and the suspicion that India and Russia’s hostile neighbour, China, might intervene on Pakistan's behalf.

The treaty is also designed to draw India and the Soviet Union into a closer relationship in all fields. The document calls for increased cooperation in the spheres of economics and the exchange of technological and scientific know-how. At the same time the two countries intend to expand trade, transport and communications links.

An official source said tonight that the idea of the treaty was conceived two years ago but it had been spurred on by the threat of war. The official claimed that it was not a military pact in the conventional sense because the document did not envisage a situation in which Russian troops would be stationed on Indian soil.

The operative clause on defence prohibits both countries from providing assistance to a hostile third country in the event of a conflict. The treaty goes on to stipulate: “In the event of either parly being subjected to an attack or a threat thereof, the high contracting parties shall immediately enter into mutual consultations in order to remove such threat and to take appropriate effective measures to ensure peace and the security of their countries.”

The treaty also prohibits Russia and India from entering any other military alliance which is directed against either country. Both countries have also promised to deny third countries the right to use Indian or Russian territory as bases.

In essence, Russia is, therefore, obliged to come to India’s assistance in the event of a future conflict with either China or Pakistan. It is also apparent that in terms of the Soviet Union's global strategy in Asia that Moscow has abandoned her attempts to woo Pakistan away from China with the promise of military aid.

Addressing a rally of over one million people in the centre of Delhi today. Mrs Gandhi, the Prime Minister claimed that her decision to enter into an alliance with the Soviet Union was not a reversal of her father's policy of non-alignment.

After signing the treaty, Mr Gromyko, who arrived in Delhi yesterday on a surprise five-day visit, said: “This is very good step. We in the Soviet Union attach great importance to this treaty. It will cement Indo-Soviet friendship.”

Rawalpindi, Aug 9. — The Pakistan Government has invited Mr Gromyko to visit Pakistan in the wake of signing the treaty with India, informed sources said here today.—AP.
Gromyko bid to avert war, page 5
Leading article, page 13