<P> As the war progressed, it became apparent to the United States that India was going to invade and disintegrate Pakistan in a matter of weeks, therefore President Nixon spoke with the USSR Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev on a hotline on 10 December, where Nixon reportedly urged Brezhnev to restrain India as he quoted: "in the strongest possible terms to restrain India with which...you (Brezhnev) have great influence and for whose actions you must share responsibility ." </P> <P> After the war, the United States accepted the new balance of power and recognised India as a dominant player in South Asia; the US immediately engaged in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries in the successive years . The Soviet Union, while being sympathetic to Pakistan's loss, decided to engage with Pakistan after sending an invitation through Rodionov to ZA Bhutto, who paid a state visit to the Soviet Union in 1972 to strengthen bilateral relations that continued over the years . </P> <P> During the course of the war, China harshly criticised India for its involvement in the East Pakistan crises, and accused India of having imperialistic designs in South Asia . Before the war started, Chinese leaders and officials had long been philosophically advising the Pakistan government to make peaceful political settlements with the East Pakistani leaders, as China feared that India was secretly supporting, infiltrating, and arming the Bengali rebels against the East Pakistani government . China was also critical of the Government of East Pakistan, led by its Governor Lieutenant - General Tikka Khan - which used ruthless measures to deal with the Bengali opposition - and did not endorse the Pakistani position on that issue . </P> <P> When the war started, China reproached India for its direct involvement and infiltration in East Pakistan . It disagreed with Pakistani President Yahya Khan's consideration of military options, and criticised East Pakistan Awami League politicians' ties with India . China reacted with great alarm when the prospects of Indian invasion of Pakistan and integration of Pakistan - administered Kashmir into their side of Kashmir, became imminent . US President Nixon encouraged China to mobilise its armed forces along its border with India to discourage the Indian assault, but the Chinese did not respond to this encouragement since the Indian Army's Northern Command was well prepared to guard the Line of Actual Control, and was already engaging and making advances against the Pakistan Army's X Corps in the Line of Control . </P>

The war between india and pakistan in 1971