SECTION 2  (CHAPTER 6)

STATEMENT ON OUR DEFENCE PREPAREDENESS

Lok Sabha, 2nd September 1963

The House has already heard the Statement that the Prime Minister made on 16th August, about the heavy concentrations of Chinese troops all along our Northern borders. There has not only been appreciable increase in the total quantum of Chinese forces in Tibet, all along our Northern borders, hut the bulk of these forces is concentrated at strategic points closer to our borders than they have ever done before. There has also been a steady and constant build-up of war-like stores and maintenance supplies and considerable activity by way of construction of barracks, gun emplacements, storage dumps, roads and air-fields near our borders. As the Prime Minister mentioned, it is difficult to know the Chinese intentions, hut this concentration of men and material may well be for use as a spring hoard for another aggressive action against India.

There have also been certain development in Pakistan to which the Prime Minister referred in his Statement on 13th August. Although leaders of Pakistan are well aware that our defensive preparations are meant to safeguard security against the threat from our Northern borders they are carrying on baseless propaganda that these defensive preparations of ours are a threat to the security of Pakistan. We have also learnt recently about certain dispositions of Pakistan troops on the Assam and East Pakistan border.

Whether these simultaneous developments are the result of any understanding or agreement between Government of Pakistan and the People’s’ Republic of China is best known to them. I am, however, mentioning the factual position to give the House a proper picture of the situation that this country has to face.

We have repeatedly made it clear that we have no aggressive intentions against any country and that we want to settle differences with our neighbours in a peaceful manner. So far as our border differences with China are concerned we have despite the crisis forced on us by Chinese aggression and massive attacks last October/November, accepted the proposals made by the six non-aligned countries who met at Colombo as a basis for consolidation of the cease-fire so that on similar acceptance of these proposals by China, the proposals can he implemented on the ground and, in the atmosphere of peace thus restored, we can discuss the differences regarding the boundary and attempt to resolve the differences peacefully. As the Prime Minister stated, we have also indicated to the Government of the People’s Republic of China that we are prepared, in case our differences cannot be resolved by direct talks and discussions, to refer the differences for settlement to the International Court of Justice at the Hague or to mutually acceptable arbitration procedures in accordance with recognised international practice. To Pakistan, the Prime Minister has again renewed the offer of a ‘ No-war ‘ Pact and reiterated that we want friendly and co-operative relations with Pakistan and we desire to settle all our differences peacefully. In the current climate of hostility and tension, however, we have, while keeping in view our main objective of settling, when there is an appropriate climate for peaceful talks and discussions, our differences peacefully, to take necessary measures for defence of our territorial integrity against any aggressive threat, the more so, because of our experience last year of a sudden and unprovoked massive aggression by our northern neighbour.