Prime Minister Indira Gandhi announced that her government will honour the memorandum of understanding with British Aerospace for the supply of Jaguar aircraft to India.

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared that unlike the Janata government’s “soft posture” towards the country’s immediate neighbours, her government will continue to be firm if it saw national interest or security being threatened. She voiced a feeling of uneasiness at Pakistan’s search for arms and nuclear capability. Referring to the demand made by several Lok Sabha members, including senior representatives of her party, that India should make the bomb, Mrs Gandhi declared that while her government remained committed to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, it would do everything to enable the country’s scientists acquire knowledge in this field. She asked: Would possession of one or two bombs be a deterrent to conflict?

Jaguar Deal

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi announced that her government will honour the memorandum of understanding with British Aerospace for the supply of Jaguar aircraft to India. But she also said that where the “discretion lies with us”.

UP Floods

The flood situation in eastern Uttar Pradesh continued to cause anxiety as the Ganga and the Gomti crossed the red mark at Balia district, flooding low-lying villages. The Ghagra has already flooded around 300 villages in the state. Constant rainfall in the last 12 days has swelled all the major rivers in the state and disrupted normal life in the rural areas and towns. Over one million people have been affected.

Moscow Olympics

A huge hush fell over spectators as trumpets heralded the opening of the controversial 22nd Olympic Games at Moscow’s Central Lenin Stadium. By tradition, Greece led the parade. All other national teams followed the Cyrillic alphabetical order, with the host nation bringing up the rear. The large Indian contingent looked neat and impressive.