Treaty of Peace and Friendship and Cooperation

India-Soviet Union [1971]

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July 23, 2026

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The Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Cooperation was signed on August 9, 1971, between India and the Soviet Union. This treaty established enduring peace and friendship, committing both nations to nonaggression and noninterference in each other's internal affairs. It also fostered collaboration in culture, education, science, tourism, and trade, and included provisions for consultation on global issues affecting their mutual interests.12

The treaty's significance was highlighted during the 1971 India-Pakistan War. The Soviet Union provided crucial military and logistical support, vetoed UN resolutions critical of India, and dispatched a naval task force to the Bay of Bengal to counter a U.S. naval presence. This support was instrumental in India's victory, leading to the creation of Bangladesh.12

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India
The Bangladesh war
The Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Cooperation, signed in mid-1971 by India with the Soviet Union, gave India the arms it used in the war. With the birth of Bangladesh, India’s already dominant position in South Asia was enhanced, and its foreign policy, which remained officially…
Read More
The Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Cooperation, signed in mid-1971 by India with the Soviet Union, gave India the arms it used in the war. With the birth of Bangladesh, India’s already dominant position in South Asia was enhanced, and its foreign policy, which remained officially…
Read More