American, Russian and Chinese Factors in Militarization of South Asia

Abstract

An analysis of U.S. cold war involvement in South Asia from 1949-89 would reveal that the cold war led the United States to think once again about the strategic defence of the region. South Asia had come under attack by Japanese ground and naval forces in World War II -- did it face the same kind of the threat from Soviet and later Chinese forces? The United States' early containment policy, as implemented in South Asia was to help India and Pakistan defend against Soviet and Chinese forces. "Although the motive was to obtain arms for their own dispute both Indian and Pakistani officials stressed to Americans the risk that the subcontinent faced from the "bear" to the north"1 Ultimately Pakistan was the recipient of significant military, economic and grant programs especially from 1945-65. This induced $ 630 million in grant military assistance for weapons $ 619 million for defence support assistance (construction of facilities and salary support for designated units), and $ 55 million worth of equipment purchased on a cash or concessional basis.2 During those years non-aligned India received considerably more in economic loans and grants, purchased about $ 55 million in military equipment from United States and $ 90 million in military grant assistance after the India-China war of 1962. The amount might had been much greater had John F. Kennedy, who was very pro-Indian, not been assassinated.