Self-Reliance
This is an important occasion of the fourth anniversary of the Indo-Soviet treaty of peace, friendship and co-operation. The 9th of August is a significant date in India's recent history.
My mind goes back to thirty-three years ago when, on this day, our great leader, Mahatma Gandhi, launched the "Quit India Movement" which was to be the last stage of our struggle for freedom from the colonial rule. By a happy coincidence, in the month of August we are celebrating two anniversaries — one of independence from colonial rule and another of friendship with the Soviet Union.
The tradition of Indo-Soviet friendship, as it has manifested itself over the years, has relevance to both the countries. It brings to our mind the Soviet support and sympathy for India's struggle for freedom from colonial rule in our pre-independence days and the timely, valuable and continuing soviet assistance since our independence in our economic development programmes, geared to the achievement of self-reliance with the help of modem technology.
Indo-Soviet relations today are characterised by warmth, understanding and growing mutual co-operation. From small beginning in the early 'fifties, Indo-Soviet co-operation has steadily grown over the years and now encompasses a wide variety of fields — political, economic, commercial, cultural, technical and scientific. The steady and continuing growth of Co-operation, both in depth and dimension, between the two countries is not an incidental phenomena. It is an outcome of the concerted efforts from both sides to promote bilateral relations based on equality and mutual benefit, mutual respect and mutual trust. The treaty constitutes an important landmark in the quarter century of our happy relationship. It gives a juridical basis to the multi-faceted relationship that has grown over the years.
