Russia Helping Indian Air Defence

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30213, 19 August 1963, Page 11

Russia Helping Indian Air Defence

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) NEW DELHI, August 17. The Indian Government today announced the formation of a Stateowned company to manufacture Soviet supersonic Mig jet fighters and other aircraft in India.

The company, registered in New Delhi yesterday, will be called Aeronautics India, Ltd., with an authorised capital of 250 million rupees, about £18,750,000. Official sources said two factories would be set up initially—one for the manufacture of Mig jet engines at Koraput, Orissa State, and the other at Nasik, near Bombay, to produce Mig airframes. Production is expected to begin within two years of the start of work on factory construction. It will probably be limited art first to Mig-21 supersonic jets. The Soviet Union earlier this year supplied India with six Mig-21 jets and another six are due to be delivered next year under the terms of an Indian-Soviet agreement. Border Moves The Indian Prime Minister, Mr Nehru, yesterday warned of aggressive preparations by the Chinese along the border and said India must intensify its defence measures. He told Parliament that China had contravened the terms of its own unilateral withdrawal “by establishing a large number of military posts in the demilitarised zone and had resorted to offensive patrolling and probing in the border areas.” China had sent fresh troops into Tibet.

“The strength of Chinese forces along our borders today is larger than what it .was ait the time of the unpro'voked massive attacks in October, 1962 . . . "Mr Nehru said. “A further development has been the forward movement of these troops to camps and strongpoints nearer to the Indian border than they were last October.” During the last few months there had also been considerable activity in construction of barracks, gun emplacements, storage dumps, airfields, roads, telephone lines, and trenches. The Defence Minister (Mr Y. B. Chavan) fold Parliament that Chinese farces had intruded into Indian territory nine times since April—five of them in the Ladakh area of Kashmir, and one near Longju on the northeast frontier. Mr Nehru also told Parliament; that India’s offer to Pakistan of a “no-war pact" was still open. Replying to questions, he explained that his announcement on Tuesday of the withdrawal of concessions to Pakistan referred to "territorial adjustments.” No-Confidence Motion Mr Nehru and his Congress Party Ministry will face a barrage of bitter criticism in a three-day debate in Parliament next week on the first no-confidence motion tabled in India’s 16 years of independence. The debate will open on Monday on the censure motion, tabled by all Opposi-

tion parties except the Communists. No specific reason for the move has been given, but basic opposition allegations are that Mr Nehru’s Government is both corrupt and inefficient. The Communists also criticise the Government, particularly for its agreement allowing the Voice of America to broadcast from Indian soil, and for planned joint air exercises with British and American units. The Communists want to keep Mr Nehru ait the helm while they attack his rightwing colleagues.

They have announced they will not vote tor the censure motion. The debate promises to be bitter because Mr Nehru has already retaliated to criticism by accusing the Opposition of “fascist tendencies.” The outcome of the debate is not in doubt as the Opposition have no chance of voting their motion through. In the 509-seat House, the Congress Party has 371 seats, the Communists 33, and the Opposition between 80 and 90. There are about a dozen independents whose allegiance is uncertain.