From the Archives (February 10, 1972): Dangerous message From an Editorial

President Nixon’s observations, in his annual foreign policy message to the U.S. Congress, on the recent Bangla Desh developments will make no contribution to the restoration of friendly relations between his country and ours. On the other hand they can only raise the doubt if he is really anxious at this time, on the eve of his visit to Peking, to work for the reversal of the downward course Indo-American relations have followed since the Bangla crisis erupted. For his latest observations, despite all the overwhelming evidence against his old assumptions that has come to light in the last few weeks, reveal the same old anti-Indian bias plus a few more veiled insinuations against India. He is prepared for “a serious dialogue with India” in the future of Indo-U.S. relations but such a dialogue, it seems, will depend on India “having an interest in maintaining balanced relationships with all major powers” and “on the posture that South Asia’s most powerful country now adopts towards its neighbours on the sub-continent.” The insinuation here is clearly that India does not now have such “balanced relationships” and that it is in the Soviet camp and that its bona fide vis-a-vis the neighbouring countries are yet to be proved. If India is to prove these bona fides to Mr. Nixon’s satisfaction to restore friendly relations with his Administration it would appear to be an impossible task, judging from his present frame of mind which seems firmly made up against India.