1971 War: How Russia sank Nixon’s gunboat diplomacy

Exactly 40 years ago, India won a famous victory over Pakistan due to its brilliant soldiers, an unwavering political leadership, and strong diplomatic support from Moscow. Less well known is Russia’s power play that prevented a joint British-American attack on India.

Washington DC, December 3, 1971, 10:45am. US President Richard Nixon is on the phone with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, hours after Pakistan launched simultaneous attacks on six Indian airfields, a reckless act that prompted India to declare war.

Nixon: So West Pakistan giving trouble there. Kissinger: If they lose half of their country without fighting they will be destroyed. They may also be destroyed this way but they will go down fighting. Nixon: The Pakistan thing makes your heart sick. For them to be done so by the Indians and after we have warned the bitch (reference to Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi). Tell them that when India talks about West Pakistan attacking them it's like Russia claiming to be attacked by Finland.

Washington, December 10, 1971, 10:51am. A week later the war is not going very well for Pakistan, as Indian armour scythes through East Pakistan and the Pakistan Air Force is blown out of the subcontinent’s sky. Meanwhile, the Pakistani military in the west is demoralised and on the verge of collapse as the Indian Army and Air Force attack round the clock.

Nixon: Our desire is to save West Pakistan. That's all. Kissinger: That's right. That is exactly right. Nixon: All right. Keep those carriers moving now. Kissinger: The carriers—everything is moving. Four Jordanian planes have already moved to Pakistan, 22 more are coming. We're talking to the Saudis, the Turks we've now found are willing to give five. So we're going to keep that moving until there's a settlement. Nixon: Could you tell the Chinese it would be very helpful if they could move some forces or threaten to move some forces? Kissinger: Absolutely. Nixon: They've got to threaten or they've got to move, one of the two. You know what I mean? Kissinger: Yeah. Nixon: How about getting the French to sell some planes to the Paks? Kissinger: Yeah. They're already doing it. Nixon: This should have been done long ago. The Chinese have not warned the Indians. Kissinger: Oh, yeah. Nixon: All they've got to do is move something. Move a division. You know, move some trucks. Fly some planes. You know, some symbolic act. We're not doing a goddamn thing, Henry, you know that. Kissinger: Yeah. Nixon: But these Indians are cowards. Right? Kissinger: Right. But with Russian backing. You see, the Russians have sent notes to Iran, Turkey, to a lot of countries threatening them. The Russians have played a miserable game.

If the two American leaders were calling Indians cowards, a few months earlier the Indians were a different breed altogether. This phone call is from May 1971. Nixon: The Indians need—what they need really is a— Kissinger: They’re such bastards. Nixon: A mass famine. But they aren't going to get that…But if they're not going to have a famine the last thing they need is another war. Let the goddamn Indians fight a war. Kissinger: They are the most aggressive goddamn people around there.

The 1971 war is considered to be modern India’s finest hour, in military terms. The clinical professionalism of the Indian army, navy and air force; a charismatic brass led by the legendary Sam Maneckshaw; and ceaseless international lobbying by the political leadership worked brilliantly to set up a famous victory. After two weeks of vicious land, air and sea battles, nearly 100,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered before India's rampaging army, the largest such capitulation since General Paulus' surrender at Stalingrad in 1943. However, it could all have come unstuck without help from veto-wielding Moscow, with which New Delhi had the foresight to sign a security treaty in 1970.

As Nixon’s conversations with the wily Kissinger show, the forces arrayed against India were formidable. The Pakistani military was being bolstered by aircraft from Jordan, Iran, Turkey and France. Moral and military support was amply provided by the US, China and the UK. Though not mentioned in the conversations here, the UAE sent in half a squadron of fighter aircraft and the Indonesians dispatched at least one naval vessel to fight alongside the Pakistani Navy.

However, Russia’s entry thwarted a scenario that could have led to multiple pincer movements against India.

On December 10, even as Nixon and Kissinger were frothing at the mouth, Indian intelligence intercepted an American message, indicating that the US Seventh Fleet was steaming into the war zone. The Seventh Fleet, which was then stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin, was led by the 75,000 ton nuclear powered aircraft carrier, the USS Enterprise. The world’s largest warship, it carried more than 70 fighters and bombers. The Seventh Fleet also included the guided missile cruiser USS King, guided missile destroyers USS Decatur, Parsons and Tartar Sam, and a large amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli.

Standing between the Indian cities and the American ships was the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet led by the 20,000-ton aircraft carrier, Vikrant, with barely 20 light fighter aircraft. When asked if India’s Eastern Fleet would take on the Seventh Fleet, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Vice Admiral N. Krishnan, said: “Just give us the orders.” The Indian Air Force, having wiped out the Pakistani Air Force within the first week of the war, was reported to be on alert for any possible intervention by aircraft from the Enterprise.

Meanwhile, Soviet intelligence reported that a British naval group led by the aircraft carrier Eagle had moved closer to India’s territorial waters. This was perhaps one of the most ironic events in modern history where the Western world’s two leading democracies were threatening the world’s largest democracy in order to protect the perpetrators of the largest genocide since the Holocaust in Nazi Germany. However, India did not panic. It quietly sent Moscow a request to activate a secret provision of the Indo-Soviet security treaty, under which Russia was bound to defend India in case of any external aggression.

The British and the Americans had planned a coordinated pincer to intimidate India: while the British ships in the Arabian Sea would target India’s western coast, the Americans would make a dash into the Bay of Bengal in the east where 100,000 Pakistani troops were caught between the advancing Indian troops and the sea.

To counter this two-pronged British-American threat, Russia dispatched a nuclear-armed flotilla from Vladivostok on December 13 under the overall command of Admiral Vladimir Kruglyakov, the Commander of the 10th Operative Battle Group (Pacific Fleet). Though the Russian fleet comprised a good number of nuclear-armed ships and atomic submarines, their missiles were of limited range (less than 300 km). Hence to effectively counter the British and American fleets the Russian commanders had to undertake the risk of encircling them to bring them within their target. This they did with military precision.

In an interview to a Russian TV programme after his retirement, Admiral Kruglyakov, who commanded the Pacific Fleet from 1970 to 1975, recalled that Moscow ordered the Russian ships to prevent the Americans and British from getting closer to “Indian military objects”. The genial Kruglyakov added: “The Chief Commander’s order was that our submarines should surface when the Americans appear. It was done to demonstrate to them that we had nuclear submarines in the Indian Ocean. So when our subs surfaced, they recognised us. In the way of the American Navy stood the Soviet cruisers, destroyers and atomic submarines equipped with anti-ship missiles. We encircled them and trained our missiles at the Enterprise. We blocked them and did not allow them to close in on Karachi, Chittagong or Dhaka."

At this point, the Russians intercepted a communication from the commander of the British carrier battle group, Admiral Dimon Gordon, to the Seventh Fleet commander: “Sir, we are too late. There are the Russian atomic submarines here, and a big collection of battleships.” The British ships fled towards Madagascar while the larger US task force stopped before entering the Bay of Bengal.

The Russian manoeuvres clearly helped prevent a direct clash between India and the US-UK combine. Newly declassified documents reveal that the Indian Prime Minister went ahead with her plan to liberate Bangladesh despite inputs that the Americans had kept three battalions of Marines on standby to deter India, and that the American aircraft carrier USS Enterprise had orders to target the Indian Army, which had broken through the Pakistani Army’s defences and was thundering down the highway to the gates of Lahore, West Pakistan’s second largest city.

According to a six-page note prepared by India's foreign ministry, "The bomber force aboard the Enterprise had the US President's authority to undertake bombing of the Indian Army's communications, if necessary."

Despite Kissinger’s goading and desperate Pakistani calls for help, the Chinese did nothing. US diplomatic documents reveal that Indira Gandhi knew the Soviets had factored in the possibility of Chinese intervention. According to a cable referring to an Indian cabinet meeting held on December 10, “If the Chinese were to become directly involved in the conflict, Indira Gandhi said, the Chinese know that the Soviet Union would act in the Sinkiang region. Soviet air support may be made available to India at that time.”

Interestingly, while the cable is declassified, the source and extensive details of the Indian Prime Minister’s briefing remain classified. “He is a reliable source” is all that the document says. There was very clearly a cabinet level mole the Americans were getting their information from.

On December 14, General A.A.K. Niazi, Pakistan's military commander in East Pakistan, told the American consul-general in Dhaka that he was willing to surrender. The message was relayed to Washington, but it took the US 19 hours to relay it to New Delhi. Files suggest senior Indian diplomats suspected the delay was because Washington was possibly contemplating military action against India.

Kissinger went so far as to call the crisis “our Rhineland” a reference to Hitler’s militarisation of German Rhineland at the outset of World War II. This kind of powerful imagery indicates how strongly Kissinger and Nixon came to see Indians as a threat.

An Indian University study of the conflict says: “The violation of human rights on a massive scale—described in a March 30 US cable as “selective genocide”—and the complete disregard for democracy were irrelevant to Nixon and Kissinger. In fact, the non-democratic aspects of Pakistani dictator Yahya Khan’s behaviour seemed to be what impressed them the most. As evidence mounted of military atrocities in East Pakistan, Nixon and Kissinger remained unmoved. In a Senior Review Group meeting, Kissinger commented at news of significant casualties at a university that, ‘The British didn’t dominate 400 million Indians all those years by being gentle’.”

Nixon and Kissinger phoned Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev and asked for guarantees that India would not attack West Pakistan. “Nixon was ready to link the future summit in Moscow to Soviet behaviour on this issue," writes professor Vladislav M. Zubok in A Failed Empire. "The Soviets could not see why the White House supported Pakistan, who they believed had started the war against India. Brezhnev, puzzled at first, was soon enraged. In his narrow circle, he even suggested giving India the secret of the atomic bomb. His advisers did their best to kill this idea. Several years later, Brezhnev still reacted angrily and spoke spitefully about American behaviour."

Another telephone conversation between the scheming duo reveals a lot about the mindset of those at the highest echelons of American decision making: Kissinger: And the point you made yesterday, we have to continue to squeeze the Indians even when this thing is settled. Nixon: We've got to for rehabilitation. I mean, Jesus Christ, they've bombed—I want all the war damage; I want to help Pakistan on the war damage in Karachi and other areas, see? Kissinger: Yeah Nixon: I don't want the Indians to be happy. I want a public relations programme developed to piss on the Indians. Kissinger: Yeah. Nixon: I want to piss on them for their responsibility. Get a white paper out. Put down, White paper. White paper. Understand that? Kissinger: Oh, yeah. Nixon: I don't mean for just your reading. But a white paper on this. Kissinger: No, no. I know. Nixon: I want the Indians blamed for this, you know what I mean? We can't let these goddamn, sanctimonious Indians get away with this. They've pissed on us on Vietnam for 5 years, Henry. Kissinger: Yeah. Nixon: Aren't the Indians killing a lot of these people? Kissinger: Well, we don't know the facts yet. But I'm sure they're not as stupid as the West Pakistanis—they don't let the press in. The idiot Paks have the press all over their place.

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_MRCA_competition

The Indian Air Force Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) Competition, also known as the MRCA tender, is an ongoing competition to supply 126 multi-role combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Defence Ministry has allocated 42,000 crore (US$7.98 billion) for the purchase of these aircraft,[1] making it India's single largest defence deal.[2] The MRCA tender was floated with the idea of filling the gap between its future Light Combat Aircraft and its in-service Su-30MKIs air superiority fighter.

Procurement of the aircraft and equipment are to be carried out in accordance with the procedures laid out in the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)-2011. The DPP provides for a comprehensive technical and field evaluation of equipment being procured to ensure conformity with the Service Qualitative Requirements (SQRs). The DPP also stipulates standard terms of contract to ensure product and maintenance support of the equipment being procured.

On 27 April 2011, the IAF shortlisted two of the six competing fighter jets—Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale.[3] Bids for the two remaining competitors had been received in 2011. A total cost is being determined for each bid.

The Indian Air Force Bharatiya Vayu Sena) is the air-arm of the Armed Forces of India and has the primary responsibility of conducting aerial warfare, defending the Indian airspace, conducting strategic strikes inside enemy territory and providing aerial cover to ground troops. It is the fourth largest air force in the world, with a strength of more than 2000 aircraft, including more than 900 combat aircraft and 305 helicopters,[4] and presently operates a total of 34 squadrons.[5]

Most of the IAF's 797 fighter jets are of Soviet/Russian origin. These include the India's indigenous HAL Tejas (LCA), Russian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 as well as the Sukhoi Su-30MKI. Added to these are the Anglo-French SEPECAT Jaguar and French Mirage 2000 aircraft, produced under license.

The MiG-21 forms the backbone of the IAF and more than 200 of this type are in operation. These aircraft were acquired in the late 1960s and early '70s, and performed well in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War. However, they have been aging, and have mostly become obsolete. Added to that is a poor safety record, which has made their replacement paramount for the Indian Air Force.

>>>>>>>>>Don’t talk about foolish policies until you know basic facts. The Taliban did not exist until 1991, 3 years after the Soviets left Afghanistan. The US did not ever fund or arm Osama Bin Laden. Bin Laden took over Maktab al-Khidamat, which was an Arab organization funded by Gulf State Arabs like its former money man, OBL. The US funded native Afghans.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

You can call them Taliban or not it won’t change.

Afghan rebels were that same nasty people.

They fought ‘Perchami’ and Russians not because of distinguished freedom loving but because they removed rags from womens’ faces and sent girls to colleges.

Nation, freedom, liberty weren’t behind resistance for 99% fighters.

“The problem with this article is the flagrand SPIN.”

Can you explain what part of the article is “flagarand SPIN”? And what exactly is “flagarand”? So far you have only loosely thrown out words like “propaganda” and “spin” without explaining how or why. As I said before, surely it cant be a propaganda only because you disagree with it. Why don't you tell us what is your take on 1971 India-Pakistan war?

“And the Russian equipment you mention...
...it is all Soviet era crap barely updated.”

Wait. Hold it right there. You said this “propaganda” article was written only to bolster Russian arms sale because they are facing desperate competition. And my response was they are still very much in business....and your response is....oh but their weapons are all crap! Do you realize how ridiculous you sound? They maybe crap but Indians are still buying it. So how does it matter if its crap?

And surely a nicely written “propaganda” piece would be enough to kiss upto Indians and have them buy more arms no? Because obviously Indians have no intelligence of their own to tell for themselves what happened in 1971 war right? /s

As for Russian weapons. They are not crap, not even close. Secondly, even if American weapons are 100 times better, if they are not on sale to India then it doesn't matter how good they are. Thirdly Indians have beaten Pakistan (which used American weapons)in 4 wars, using Russian weapons. I believe Indians are sufficiently intelligent enough to tell whats crap and whats not.

“the new Chinese weapons R&D (which is now far in excess of the Russians”

No, they are not. Chinese fighter gets are still using Russian engines. They still rely heavily on Russia for technology. I would say Indian technology is on par with the Chinese. The Indians have built more or less everything the Chinese have been able to build thus far.

>>>>>>>>If you don’t know what the different groups were, how can you possibly know what was in their hearts? We are talking about different ethnic groups and sects here: Pashtuns, Tajik, Hazara...>>>>>>>>>>>

I have an idea on Afghani divercity.

That ethnic division is one of many reasons making the place a pot of snakes.

Still have no idea if it has something with a topic.

As it always happens in a poor muslim country the most radical group is to take an upper hand, so I won’t buy an idea if there could be something “moderate” instead of Taliban.

Soviet softcore communism was good for a society like that, being very unfriendly to religious extremes, and it wasn’t good to counter it supporting these groups later developed into Taliban.

Reds could have washed their brains from militant islamist crap to fail later like communists did worldwide leaving Afghanistan quite a peaceful post-Soviet craphole in a class of Tajikistan or something.

Today’s Russia is not Soviet Union. India is better off allying itself to the West with whom we share far more in common values, aspirations and world-view than we do with Mafia-run Russia. In fact, I feel that the common Russian people are also better off aligning themselves with the West than the Putinistas who run a fascist regime out there.

While the article may not be “false”, it is still propaganda trying to remind Indians of the good old days of friendship with the Soviet Union when all Russia does to India today is (proverbially) hide substandard goods under shiny boxes (Gorshkov).

Our permanent interests align better today with American ones than with Russian ones.

“The most foolish policy was to arm Osama bin Laden”

We’ve done a lot of stupid stuff. But if there was any evidence the U.S. directly helped Bin Laden, believe me, it’d be more famous than the Bay of Pigs. The MSM would have been shouting it from the rooftops for the last decade.

That you seem to think we did derives from the power of suggestion merely. We armed the mujahadeen, not Bin Laden.

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