The only other country, to which I wanted to make a reference and which I have not been able to do, was Afghanistan. As you know, President Daud paid us a visit very recently. There were some good discussions between the president and the Prime Minister. I think I should have made a reference along with Pakistan to Afghanistan that Pakistan’s recent attitude of belligerency towards Afghanistan is another matter which, really speaking, concerns us. Our relation Will Afghanistan are very cause and friendly and We have the fullest sympathy with Afghanistan in the problems it faces. Of course, with Pakistan also, we went to be friendly....

.... When President Daud recently came here, we both felt that the U.S. decision on arms supplies to Pakistan would encourage the forces of confrontation and tension, retarding the process of noramlisation in South Asia.

In this connection, I would like to mention one aspect to which many members made reference and that is regarding Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan is a person not belonging to one country or the other. He was a veteran freedom fighter and naturally his arrest has caused concern to us, and I share that concern.

... With regard to China, the fact that I refer to our relations with China in the end does not by any means signify that we attach less importance to that great country. Inspite of what China has or has not done, we continue to have an open mind on the question of improving our relations with China. We have repeatedly made known our desire and willingness to do so. Unfortunately this thing cannot be a one way affair; there has to be a response from the other side as well. We do not have as yet any concrete evidence of a corresponding desire by China to improve its relations with us. Inspite of the recent visit of the table tennis team and the optimistic statement by the Chinese Vice Premier who passed through Calcutta in February on his way to Kathmandu for the coronation of the King, the Chinese have shown no real change in attitude. On the contrary they have launched a fresh barrage of anti-Indian propaganda on well-worn themes like Kashmir, Pakistan, Sikkim, Nepal, etc.