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Indian Army’s Eastern Command shared a throwback news article of 1971 to call out US over its arms supplies to Pakistan. This comes as India’s tensions with America is on a rise.
Indian Army’s throwback post on US’ support to Pakistan (PTI File Image)
Amid escalating tensions with the US over trade and Donald Trump’s comments on India’s ties with Russia, the Indian Army on Tuesday shared a throwback post calling out America for its continued military support to Pakistan for decades.
The Eastern Command of the Indian Army shared an article published in a newspaper on August 5, 1971, on X with the caption: “This Day That Year” Build Up of War – 05 Aug 1971″. The post used the hashtag #KnowFacts.
The caption highlighted it in bold and capital, “US ARMS WORTH $2 BILLION SHIPPED TO PAKISTAN SINCE ’54“.
Indian Army’s X Post On US-Pakistan Military Ties
The news article reports about the developments during a Rajya Sabha session that year, before India went to war with Pakistan to liberate Bangladesh in December.
The report said that the then Defence Production Minister, VC Shukla, told the Upper House of the Parliament that NATO countries and the Soviet Union were approached regarding any supply of weapons to Pakistan, however, both the Soviet Union and France denied dispatching any weapons to Islamabad. The report said that the US did support Pakistan.
It also mentioned that both the US and China sold weapons to Pakistan at low costs.
India-US Tensions And Washington’s Ties With Islamabad
The Army’s post on the United States comes weeks after the White House invited Pakistan army chief Asim Munir for a meeting with Trump who has been displaying a renewed bonhomie with Islamabad in his second term as the US President.
Last month, Pakistan also awarded Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military), one of the country’s highest state honours, to US Central Command (USCENTCOM) chief General Michael Kurilla in a gesture showing loyalty to Washington amid FATF concerns.
Trump has been claiming that he brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor; however, New Delhi has made it explicitly clear that the “understanding” to halt military operations on May 10 was reached between the DGMOs of India and Pakistan after the latter approached seeking to cease the hostilities on the borders. Pakistan still “thanked” Trump for “mediating” a ceasefire and also nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize — something the White House has now officially demanded for the US President.
The throwback tweet also comes days after Trump announced a trade deal with Pakistan and slapped 25% tariffs on India and a threat to impose a “penalty” for New Delhi’s purchase of Russian crude oil from Moscow. On Monday, the US President said that he would “substantially” increase tariffs on Indian exports to America, drawing a strong Indian response.
“India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday.
Within hours, the Ministry of External Affairs posted a strong reply to Trump’s threat over purchase of Russian oil, and described the tariffs as “unjustified and unreasonable”.
India also called out the double standards of the US and European Union on the matter and underlined that America continues to import uranium hexafluoride from Russia for its nuclear industry.
The MEA made it clear that India’s crude oil purchases from Moscow are a “necessity compelled by global market conditions”.
“India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” the MEA said.
Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes…Read More
Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes… Read More
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