Indian army recalls details of $2 billion US-Pak arms deal before 1971 war

NEW DELHI: The Indian Army on Tuesday shared an old newspaper clipping detailing how Washington had supplied over $2 billion worth of arms to Pakistan over two decades in the build-up of the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

The post comes a day after US President Donald Trump threatened India over its purchase of Russian oil, saying he will substantially raise tariffs on goods from India. The Army’s Eastern Command took to its X platform to share “This Day That Year” Build Up of War – 05 Aug 1971 with a hashtag, #KnowFacts.

#IndianArmy#EasternCommand#VijayVarsh #LiberationOfBangladesh #MediaHighlights

“This Day That Year” Build Up of War – 05 Aug 1971 #KnowFacts.

“𝑼.𝑺 𝑨𝑹𝑴𝑺 𝑾𝑶𝑹𝑻𝑯 $2 𝑩𝑰𝑳𝑳𝑰𝑶𝑵 𝑺𝑯𝑰𝑷𝑷𝑬𝑫 𝑻𝑶 𝑷𝑨𝑲𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑵 𝑺𝑰𝑵𝑪𝑬 ’54”@adgpi@SpokespersonMoD… pic.twitter.com/wO9jiLlLQf

— EasternCommand_IA (@easterncomd) August 5, 2025

The attached news clipping from August 5, 1971 highlighted that between 1954 and 1971, the US had provided Pakistan with fighter aircraft, missiles, tanks, submarines, and artillery. The news clipping showed then Defence Production Minister V C Shukla informing Parliament that the US. had armed Pakistan “at throw-away prices”, even after the 1971 crackdown in East Pakistan.

“Mr V C Shakla. Minister for Defence Production told the Rajya Sabha today that precautions had been taken to see that there was no accretion to Pakistan’s military strength. All possible sources of supply, including NATO Powers, had been contacted’, he said. While precise information on the arms supplied to Pakistan after March 26 (when it cracked down on Bangladesh) was not available, Mr Shukla said that China had supplied “large quantities” of non-lethal items. Contracted for before March 25. had been supplied by the USA, according to Washington reports”, read the newspaper.

The newspaper further reported that US arms shipments to Pakistan since 1954 were valued at $2 billion. US President Donald Trump on Monday said that the United States will “substantially raise” the tariff paid by India for buying “massive amounts of Russian Oil”, stating that much of the oil purchased from Moscow is being sold in the open market “for big profits”.

Trump wrote on Truth Social, “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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!”India has defended its sovereign right to conduct energy policy based on national interest.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday came out strongly in defence of the country’s decision to import oil from Russia, despite criticism from the United States and European Union.

According to the MEA, India’s imports from Russia are driven by necessity and aimed at ensuring predictable and affordable energy costs for Indian consumers.The MEA described the criticism of India’s trade policy as “unjustified and unreasonable,” asserting that India will take necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security. (ANI)