Thanks to Rajiv Sikri for explicating the fact that independent India's greatest ally has been Russia - a fact that young Indians, so infatuated by Americana, should not forget. I knew of Bhilai, the 1971 mutual defence pact etc. and generally about other Soviet help but was unaware of the extent to which Soviet Russian help extended to even IITs as a commenter pointed out. The USA is a fickle friend whose commitments to Pakistani dictators and Chinese trade etc. cannot be relied upon. As a child growing up in 1970s UK I loved the US series Star Trek but as an adult I realised that the real USS Enterprise steamed into the Bay of Bengal in 1971 threatening India not to interfere in the Bangladeshi war of independence against the gang-raping Punjabi muslim army of the US-backed military dictators who have done so much to destablise India. So much for US rhetoric about democracy and human rights!!! Sutapas Bhattacharya
