India promised Soviet arms

Press, 7 March 1984, Page 6

India promised Soviet arms

NZPA-AP New Delhi The Soviet Defence Minister, Marshal Dmitri Ustinov, has pledged continued Soviet military support for India to offset what he calls an aggressive United States military build-up in the Indian Ocean. Marshal Ustinov held a two-hour meeting with the Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, after arriving from Moscow for the start of a five-day official visit to India.

Marshal Ustinov also met the Indian Defence Minister, Mr Ramaswamy Venkatara-

man, and joined his counterpart in criticising the United States for erecting “a whole network of military bases” in the Indian Ocean.

Mr Venkataraman, in reference to United Statesbacked Pakistan, said that there had been, “a progressive heightening of tension in our neighbourhood.” He said that India had “legitimate defence requirements,” and sought sophisticated Soviet military technology to match Pakistan’s buying of 40 Fl 6 Fighting Falcon jet fighter-bombers, and other weapons from the

United States.

“We hope that defence cooperation between the Soviet Union and India will continue to grow both in dimensions and Substance,” he said, thanking Moscow for helping India strengthen its “armour and artillery, supply of aircraft and other sophisticated equipment for the Indian Navy and Air Force.”

Promising to increase military supplies, Marshal Ustinov said, “We feel Soviet co-operation in military fields will help to improve the defence and sovereignty of India. Our discus-

sions today will further strengthen the friendly relations between the Soviet Union and India and cooperation between our armies.”

More than 100 Afghans, protesting against the presence of Soviet troops in Afghanistan, were detained by the police for nearly four hours after they staged a brief but noisy demonstration outside the Soviet Embassy. Marshal Ustinov was inside the building when the police broke up the protest and took away the demonstrators in buses to a nearby police station.