New Delhi. Mrs. Gandhi, Indian Prime Minister, decided that it was more important for her to brief Western world leaders on the Indo-Pakistan crisis than to stay in New Delhi and hold the home front. After a series of lengthy but unflurried meetings with her Cabinet and the chiefs of the armed forces at the weekend, Mrs. Gandhi concluded that the situation inside India was under control but the “Western Powers had not thought through” the dilemma of Bangladesh.

She would explain the position to the Prime Ministers of Belgium, (she arrived in Brussels yesterday), Austria, the United Kingdom, the United States, France and West Germany before returning to Delhi on Nov. 13. There is no doubt that Mrs. Gandhi is disappointed at the support she has received from Moscow. Russian leaders have been reluctant to “twist President Yahya Khan’s arm” in the hope of persuading him to adopt a more moderate policy towards East Pakistan as a result of appeals from their Moslem allies in Egypt, Syria and Algeria not to deal harshly with their “brother Moslems” in Islamabad.

RUSSIAN MESSAGE

Mr. Firyubin, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, who arrived unexpectedly in Delhi last Friday is understood to have passed on to Mrs. Gandhi the “peaceful assurances” President Podgorny received from President Yahya when they met recently. But the Russian delegation with him is making no secret of the fact that they would prefer another Tashkent - a meeting of Indian and Pakistan leaders under Russian auspices - than remain onlookers whilst Mrs. Gandhi tours the capitals of the Western world.

After having made up her mind, Mrs. Gandhi addressed the nations in cool terms on Saturday evening and explained her decision to leave for Europe. It was a time, she explained, for everyone, not only the Armed Forces, to be on the alert. She urged Indians to strive for high production in industry and agriculture and begged businessmen not to raise prices or to hoard.

A selected category of Army reservists - at present less than five thousands men and women - have been called up. They are all specialists in communications, transport - especially air transport - engineering, the management of civil labour and nursing. In addition, leave has been stopped in the 100,000-strong paramilitary border security force, and around 10,000 civilian labourers have been recruited to work on airfields within easy range of the Pakistan frontier. The emphasis at every level is on defence.