Pakistan and India have faced each other uneasily ever since Britain gave them independence in 1947 amid bloody Hindu-Muslim strife. Border shelling and massive troop build-ups along the Indo-Pakistani frontiers have kept tension at boiling point through the autumn. Now that the monsoon season has ended, the danger of increased friction and fighting becomes infinitely greater. For several months both Indian and Pakistan Government circles have regarded war as being virtually inevitable and as the sole solution to the situation in East Bengal.

BORDERS REINFORCED

The leaders of both countries denied they would be the first to attack the other, but began preparations for war by heavily reinforcing their borders with troops and armour and seeking more and more overseas arms aid. goth countries have looked to traditional friends for support in the event of open conflict.

Mr. Gromyko, Soviet Foreign Minister, visited New Delhi in August and signed a 20-year peace and cooperation treaty with Mr. Swaran Singh, India’s External Affairs Minister. Pakistan looked for support to neighbouring China, which had fought a border war with India in 1962. Earlier this month, Mr. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a former Pakistan Foreign Minister, and elected political leader of West Pakistan in the last general polls, led a delegation to Peking on behalf of President Yahya Khan.

RESTRAINT URGED

The Chinese promised support in the eve of foreign aggression, but at the same time urged a peaceful settlement and a reasonable solution for the problems of East Pakistan, which after all, is separated from West Pakistan by 1,000 miles of Indian territory. Indeed both the Russians and the Chinese appear to have urged restraint, even though continuing to supply arms to their respective allies on the subcontinent.

Ever since the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war, both sides have been developing their armed forces, clearly expecting some day a resumption of conflict as being inevitable. Morale on both sides is reported to be high.