Boston Globe

NEW DELHI. - Defense Minister Jagjivan Ram said yesterday war might be thrust upon India as a result of the East Pakistan civil strife. He called on the army to prepare for any eventuality.

Meanwhile, Indian's Meghalaya state clamped a month-long 8 p.m. to 4 p.m. curfew on its 300-mile heavily forested border with East Pakistan to protect life, property and communications and guard against what it called infiltration of Pakistani spies.

The move followed a Pakistani protest Saturday to the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad against the alleged "continuation of incidents of unprovoked firing by Indian border security forces and Indian armed forces and trespasses into Pakistan territory "

The Pakistan government said the shelling and firing has killed several civilians.

The announcement reported 18 incidents between June 11 and 16. It did not say if Pakistani troops returned fire.

Similar claims of border incidents have been made by India.

India's warning of war was made as Ram addressed army units during a visit to Jullundur near the West Pakistan border 210 miles northwest of Delhi.

He charged Pakistan had been violating India's eastern borders and added: "We are a peace-loving country and we want to avoid war. But Pakistan is creating a situation where war may be thrust upon us."

In Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Prince Sadruddin Agha Khan, the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, said Saturday liaison between the Pakistan government and his organization about the rehabilitation of Pakistani refugees would be established as soon as possible.

The Meghalaya border curfew will be in a three-mile belt stretching from the boundary, all Indian official said. The state of Meghalaya last month evacuated several border villages following reported attacks by Pakistani army troops believed to have been chasing East Pakistani independence fighters across the frontier.

Civil war between the separatists and the Pakistani government broke out nearly three months ago. Since then India and Pakistan have accused each other of numerous unprovoked attacks.

"I doubt if Pakistan is in a position now to attack India," Prime Minister Indira Gandhi told a news conference in Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, after a visit there. "However, we have to watch and see the situation. We are prepared to meet any aggression on our border by Pakistan."

Mrs. Gandhi also said the time was not yet ripe for India to recognize the rebel Bangla Desh (Bengal nation) government in East Pakistan.