On August 5, 2025, the Indian Army’s Eastern Command resurfaced a newspaper clipping from August 5, 1971, revealing that the U.S. had supplied over $2 billion in arms to Pakistan since the mid‑1950s. The timing of the post—just a day after U.S. tariffs on Indian exports were raised—was seen as a historical retort amid rising diplomatic friction.
The archival clip featured remarks made by then‑Defence Minister V.C. Shukla in Parliament, stating that Western nations, particularly the U.S., provided weaponry to Pakistan at low cost, while countries like the Soviet Union and France had refused. The post was captioned “This day, that year — build‑up of war, August 5, 1971,” serving as a pointed reminder of past geopolitical alliances.
Current tensions were stoked by recent decisions in Washington: while India now faces a 25% tariff on exports, Pakistan’s tariff rate was lowered to 19%, consistent with a separate energy partnership deal with the U.S. Officials cited India’s continuing oil imports from Russia as justification, prompting India’s Ministry of External Affairs to denounce the disparity as selective and unfair.
The strategic timing of the Army’s post, which drew on historical memory to respond to modern economic provocations, was interpreted by analysts as a deliberate message illustrating the complex legacy of U.S.-Pakistan relations in framing current negotiations.
