Office of the Historian

745.45F/4–148: Telegram

The Embassy in India to the Secretary of State

secret
New Delhi, April 1, 1948—5 p. m.

255. Iengar1 asked to see me2 last evening and stated that Prime Minister wished him to convey to Department following:

GOI is most anxious to have Kashmir issue settled as soon as possible. People of Kashmir are suffering as result of delay. In their anxiety to get agreement on resolution they have accepted one amendment after another to Chinese resolution and after each concession Pakistan delegation has rejected it.3 GOI feels that urging to accept amendments is primarily on their delegation. It is determined to make no further concessions. On other hand it does not intend to withdraw its case from SC. GOI feels GOP delegation has been delaying in order to get Dr. López4 as President as his proposed amendments to Chinese resolution seemed more favorable to GOP. GOI may have [Page 323] to cut down its delegation and let its regular representative stand by until SC gets something worked out that they can accept. In meantime GOI will probably have to take military action to protect people in certain areas of Kashmir. They are particularly incensed with Pakistan because they have recently captured some howitzers that could only have been brought into Kashmir over bridges. On questioning Iengar as to whether what he said meant intensification of military operations by Indian Army, he said “no but military steps would inevitably have to take place”.

Iengar apparently desired to impress upon me that change in policy he was describing should not be construed as any sort of threat or ultimatum. Nevertheless it is difficult for me to interpret his statement other than as warning India intends to pursue military campaign in Kashmir energetically in future.

Sent Department 255; repeated Karachi 76.

[Grady]
  1. H. V. R. Iengar, Principal Private Secretary to the Indian Prime Minister.↩
  2. Presumably Ambassador Grady.↩
  3. The representatives of India and Pakistan were kept informed of the various revisions of the Chinese resolution. Their reactions were reflected in the revision process, and they participated in the meeting of March 29. See footnote 2, p. 321.↩
  4. Alfonso López, Representative of Colombia on the Security Council and President of the Council during April 1948.↩