In November, Prime Minister of India,
Indira Gandhi undertook tour of
several countries, including Moscow,
Washington, London etc. to explain
Indian position vis-a-vis Pakistan on
the situation in East Pakistan. On
return she declared in the Parliament
11
Perhaps the Indo-Soviet Treaty of
Friendship and Cooperation, which
was signed on 8 August, 1971, gave
a moral boost to the Indian military
intervention, giving a guarantee that
China would not open a second front
as Pakistan might have expected.
Particularly, article 1X of the Treaty,
which stipulated that in case of an
attack on either party, the high
contracting parties shall immediately
enter into mutual consultations in
order to remove such threats and take
appropriate effective measures to
ensure peace and security of their
countries, perceived against the
possible threat from China with whom
Pakistan had maintained excellent
bilateral
relations.
Nixon
administration of the United States of
America had used the good office of
General Aga Muhammad Yahya Khan
of Pakistan to establish political link
with People‟s Republic of China.
Pakistan played a critical role in
establishing relations between the
United States of America and
People‟s Republic of China when war
of liberation was in progress.
President Nixon appeasement policy
towards China through Pakistan had
caused serious suspicion in the Soviet
Union and in India too. This US-
China-Pakistan axis was looked upon
by India as a threat against the
backdrop of Indo-China war of 1962,
whereas the Soviet Union thought it
fit to sign such a friendship treaty with
India to contain China‟s influence in
the area. Therefore, the interests of
both coincided in the conclusion of
the friendship treaty on August,
1971. The election manifest of 1970
of the Awami League, spelling out the
non-aligned, secular and socialist
nature of its policy, must have
prompted the adoption of the friendly
attitude towards the people of
Bangladesh by the Soviet Union
during the war of liberation. The
Great Britain also provided sanctuary
to fugitive political leaders and
diplomats‟ who switched over
allegiance to Bangladesh government
in exile ,which was set up in April
17,1971 in India led by Tajuddin
Ahmad, to clandestinely
operate
propaganda
against
Pakistan
marauding military regime from
London.
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shelter in India.