When the US Deployed Warships Against India: 1971 Recalled After Army’s Post on Arms Shipments to Pakistan
The 1971 India-Pakistan war concluded with Pakistan’s surrender and the formation of Bangladesh, but not before the United States had sent its warships to deter India.
On Tuesday, the Indian Army’s Eastern Command shared a newspaper clipping on X, dated to the days prior to the 1971 war. The headline screamed in bold: “US ARMS WORTH $2 BILLION SHIPPED TO PAKISTAN SINCE ’54.”
The timing of the post was not coincidental. Just a day earlier, US President Donald Trump accused India of indirectly funding Russia’s Ukraine war by purchasing discounted crude oil and reselling it for profit. Having already levied a 25% tariff on Indian exports, Trump threatened to impose a further “substantial hike”. India responded sharply, labelling the claims as “unjustified and unreasonable.” The Army’s post then served as a quiet yet sharp reminder of a very different kind of American involvement — one that attempted to obstruct India’s success in 1971.
This reminder draws attention to a historical episode that still evokes resentment: America’s open backing of Pakistan during the 1971 war — deploying a nuclear aircraft carrier, carrying out covert diplomatic tactics to pressurise India, and displaying a disturbing indifference to the mass atrocities in East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh).
When Pakistan Attacked, The US Backed Them
The war began on 3rd December 1971 when Pakistan launched sudden air strikes on Indian bases. India responded promptly, and within 13 days, Pakistani forces surrendered in Dhaka, leading to the birth of Bangladesh. But in the days between, the United States — then led by President Richard Nixon and his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger — did everything possible to prevent Pakistan from losing the war.
America’s Cold War priorities were evident. Pakistan was a major ally — part of military alliances like SEATO and CENTO, and more importantly, a strategic link to China. India, despite being officially non-aligned, was perceived as leaning towards the Soviet Union. This ideological divide defined one of the tensest phases in US-India ties.
The USS Enterprise and the 7th Fleet
As Indian forces advanced towards Dhaka and Pakistan’s military positions began to weaken, Nixon and Kissinger initiated a bold naval action. On 10th December 1971, the US Navy’s 7th Fleet — also called Task Force 74 — was sent into the Bay of Bengal as a show of strength in support of Pakistan.
This fleet was headed by the USS Enterprise, the first-ever nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the world, and included:
- USS Tripoli (a helicopter carrier)
- Missile cruisers and destroyers
- Auxiliary and support vessels
Officially, the US claimed this move was to protect American citizens in the region. However, declassified records later released by the US National Security Archive — and books like The Blood Telegram by Gary J. Bass — suggest the true aim was to threaten India, disrupt its naval blockade on East Pakistan, and offer Pakistan a fighting chance.
The White House wanted to prevent Pakistan’s total collapse. It hoped this show of might would pressurise India into halting its advance or at least agreeing to a ceasefire that could help Pakistan save face.
But India did not relent. Instead, it relied on its own ally.
India Had Soviet Backing — And It Came Through
Months before the war, India had signed the Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation. When the USS Enterprise entered the Indian Ocean, the Soviet Union responded by dispatching its own warships and nuclear submarines.
The Soviet fleet shadowed the American warships and eventually positioned itself between the 7th Fleet and Indian waters, leading to a tense but decisive naval standoff. The US fleet did not escalate the situation further. The war continued. On December 16, Pakistan surrendered in Dhaka.
Had the Soviets not stepped in, the presence of the US fleet might have changed the course — or at least raised the cost — of the war.
America’s Double Game: Pushing China, Misleading India
While deploying its own naval forces to threaten India, the Nixon administration simultaneously tried to involve China — another ally of Pakistan — in pressuring India militarily. As per 2005 declassified documents, Kissinger urged Chinese leaders to consider intervening militarily against India, while subtly offering a security assurance.
“If the People’s Republic considers the subcontinent’s situation a threat to its security… the US would oppose any interference with the PRC,” Kissinger told Chinese counterparts.
Simultaneously, the US assured India that it would back New Delhi in case of a Chinese attack.
In one message, US officials told Indian Defence Minister Jagjivan Ram that Washington would take “a serious view of any Chinese aggression.” Kissinger also told Indian Ambassador L.K. Jha that America would extend “full support” if China launched a repeat of the 1962 war.
To many, this was clear hypocrisy — presenting one stance to India, while encouraging its rivals behind closed doors.
Nixon-Kissinger’s Hostility Towards India
This wasn’t just about geopolitical strategy; personal biases also played a role.
Declassified White House tapes reveal that Nixon and Kissinger harboured openly racist and sexist views about Indian leadership. After Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s Washington visit in November 1971 — during which she urged US intervention to stop the East Pakistan atrocities — Kissinger referred to her as a “btch”, and Nixon called Indians “bstards”.
Their animosity extended even to their own diplomats. The US Consul General in Dhaka had repeatedly reported brutalities by the Pakistani Army, but the Nixon administration chose to downplay or ignore them in favour of strategic Cold War goals.
Why Did the US Back Pakistan So Staunchly? One Word: China
At the time, the US was secretly building diplomatic ties with communist China — a move that would alter the global order. Pakistan’s ruler, Yahya Khan, was acting as a critical go-between for Washington and Beijing. To preserve this backchannel, Nixon was determined to support Pakistan, no matter the cost.
Supporting India, perceived to be aligned with the Soviets, would have jeopardised the US-China rapprochement. Hence, America threw its weight behind Pakistan — even amid international outrage over human rights abuses in East Pakistan.
This damaged trust left a long-lasting scar in India-US ties. Even as relations gradually improved in later decades, this betrayal contributed to India’s traditionally cautious attitude towards Washington.
A Strategic Reminder in Present Times
The Army’s post on August 5, 2025, came not during war, but in the midst of a diplomatic confrontation.
India defended its oil trade with Russia, noting that it only rose after Western countries redirected their own energy supplies to Europe. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also pointed out that the US and EU continue purchasing strategic resources from Russia — including uranium, palladium, and chemicals — while criticising India’s imports. “In this context, targeting India is unfair and unreasonable. Like every major economy, India will do what is needed to safeguard its interests and economic security,” the MEA said.
History as Diplomacy
By invoking the 1971 incident, the Indian Army highlighted how, at crucial times, threats to India’s sovereignty have come not just from adversaries, but also from supposed allies.
In 1971, it was a nuclear warship. Today, it’s tariffs and accusations. The tools may differ, but the pressure to curb India’s autonomy remains.
But unlike 1971, India isn’t merely recalling history — it’s actively resisting it.
